Liquor Review: Tito’s Handmade Vodka

     Tito’s Handmade Vodka was created by Bert “Tito” Beveridge.  Don’t laugh, that’s the man’s actual last name!  Bert was taught how to make vodka by his uncle, but he created his own recipe and taught himself the art of micro-distillation with a pot still.  Tito’s is currently produced in Austin, Texas in the city’s oldest legal distillery.  Tito’s is distilled six times and is made from sweet corn as opposed to potato or wheat, giving it a very smooth, distinct taste.  Remarkably, Tito’s Vodka employs fewer than ten people to this day and produces nearly 22,000 cases per year.  Tito’s Handmade Vodka consistently beats out premium top-shelf vodkas at competitions and is the fastest growing brand in America.

     Sipping Tito’s on the rocks yeilds an interesting experience.  Since it is distilled six times, it is extremely smooth.  It is perhaps the smoothest vodka I have consumed to date.  After swallowing the vodka, your taste buds are greeted with a sweet, yellow-corn taste.  It’s very unique and very pleasing.  A couple of the BoozeBasher tasters were slightly disappointed by the taste on the rocks, calling it somewhat bland or unusual, but I respectfully disagree.  The taste may seem a little bland to a seasoned vodka drinker, but the smoothness more than makes up for it.  Tito’s is truly a pleasure to shoot, and the sweet finish makes for a nice touch.  If Stevie Ray Vaughan were alive today and still a drinker, I’d like to think he’d be all over this stuff.  It comes from Austin, so he would be the perfect spokesperson.  Just as his spectacular guitar sang smooth, sweet tunes for everyone’s enjoyment, Tito’s offers a great vodka experience. 

     When mixing with Sprite, the taste of Tito’s Handmade Vodka is almost unnoticable until you catch that yummy sweet corn-like finish.  If you are looking for a vodka that is well-hidden in mixed drinks, look no further.  Tito’s does nothing more than add a little sweetness to any concoction.  The smoothness really allows it to play well with mixers.  It won’t really enhance the flavor of the mixed drink, but you may not even be able to tell it’s there after having a little of it.  That is a big selling point of vodka for the casual drinker and goes a long way in making Tito’s elite in my book.  This superb mixablitly makes Tito’s a favorite of the ladies, and let’s be honest, isn’t that really what matters?

     Tito’s brings with it a surprisingly strong buzz.  It is a standard 80-proof vodka, but it actually got me drunk.  Maybe the smoothness allowed me to pour a little more than I normally would into my drinks, but at any rate, it got the job done.  I don’t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Stevie Ray when it comes to playing the guitar, but my playing was sounding pretty damn awesome after a few Tito’s drinks.  I’m fairly sure it was due to intoxication and not to a sudden spike in my guitar-playing prowess.  I’m not sure if it’s the six distillations or something else about Tito’s Handmade Vodka, but this spirit gave me no serious signs of a hangover in the morning.  My head was a little cloudy the next day, but I still felt on top of the world.  This is definitely the stuff to use for spiking your fruity drinks on a work night. 

      A 750ml bottle of Tito’s will cost you $21, so it’s not going to break the bank.  With Tito’s, you can get a top-shelf, imported vodka experience for a mid-shelf price.  I would assume this cheap price is possible due to the small number of people employed by the company and the exclusive use of word-of-mouth advertising.  If you like both sweet corn and vodka, do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle of Tito’s.  Pop in a Stevie Ray Vaughan DVD, and pour yourself a glass.  Sweet music and delicious liquor await you.   

Sipability - 7.5

Mixability - 8.5

Drunkability - 8.0

Hangover-ability - 9.0

Bang for the Buck - 7.5

Chick-appeal - 8.5

Overall - 8.5 

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