Finns Take Title in 2nd Int'l Vodka Taste Off

On a sweltering summer day in late July, Russophiles from around New England gathered to take part in Russian Life magazine’s 2nd Annual International Vodka Taste Off and Russian dinner. The event was held in Northfield, Vermont, on the campus of Norwich University, which has a 10-week-long Russian School each summer.

Russian Life subscribers from Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey traveled hours to attend the special event. There was fine Russian food, music, dance and, of course, the headline event: a blind tasting of premium international vodkas. 

The 2nd Annual International Vodka Taste-Off featured 16 vodkas from nine countries—from lesser-known Russian vodkas to top name brands like Stolichnaya and Absolut. Each vodka was taste-tested and evaluated on a 1-5 rating scale. Russian Life Publisher Paul Richardson spelled out the rating scale. “A ‘1’ is for vodkas that taste like jet fuel,” he said, “a ‘5’ is for vodkas that are the crème de la Kremlin, the best of the best.”