The Albertson’s Liquor Store Going Out of Business Sale

Introduction: 

    Not too long ago, a few of us BoozeBashers managed to take part in the pillaging of a local liquor store’s “going out of business / clearance sale.”  That’s right; we briefly lived the moment that all die hard liquor lovers dream about.  Unfortunately, the spoils could have been much greater and valuable had we reacted sooner, but oh well.  It was fun.  We took the opportunity to serve you all by daring to do something many of you are terrified of; spending money on expensive, widely unknown brands of liquor.  Well, everything was marked down 50%, so it wasn’t too bad.  Enjoy!

Part 1: Roth California Vodka

    Browsing through rows of unknown liquor bottles was quite a stressful experience.  It was like inspecting row upon row of Victoria’s Secret models and only being able to take a few home with you.  Well, we chose to the best of our abilities and broke the one rule our parents told us over and over again.  Never judge a liquor by its bottle.  Roth does come in a nice looking bottle that made me think of a piece of candy.  How could I go wrong?  It has to taste good.  After all, Roth vodka is the self-proclaimed “America’s First Luxury Vodka,” distilled five times to a proof of 80 from premium California grapes, and produced by Beam Wine Estates Inc. 

    I’m proud to say that after several reviews, I can finally join the rest of the BoozeBasher staff and take credit for saving the world from a terrible bottle of liquor.  We had high expectations, and we were let down hard because we purchased not one, but two bottles of this stuff.  After popping the top with lots of excitement, we noticed a scent similar to nail polish remover.  In an instant, hope began to fade, but we remained optimistic about the taste test on the rocks.  Along with hope, optimism was quickly lost at the touch of the pallet.  Have you ever tasted nail polish remover?  I hope not.  Imagine how it might taste, and that’s probably very close to what Roth vodka tastes like on the rocks.  There is a slight sent of flavor right before a sip, but the intense alcohol/nail polish remover taste kills it and adds a bitter aftertaste to kick you while you’re already down.

    Okay, Roth has to get better with a mixer, right?  We generally like to mix vodka with a dash of Sprite, so that’s what we chose.  The bad taste was still there.  The mix took away a little bite, but the nail polish taste and bitter aftertaste were still present.  It might just take something strong like bloody marry mix to cover the taste, but for a high dollar vodka such as this, that idea is ludacris.  A good vodka should be sipable on the rocks.  A moderate vodka is sipable when lightly mixed.  Roth vodka is neither.  I guess we are going to have to find something to do with these two bottles.  Maybe we can take them to a party and just leave them.  I already tried pouring Roth shots for friends during a football game.  I haven’t heard from them since.  If you want to piss your friends off, pour them a shot of Roth vodka.  The sour faces are priceless!

    This is the part I was dreading to write since I actually had to get drunk of the stuff.  I prepared plenty of water and pain killers for the aftermath.  Here it goes.  Once I finally got around to it, I manned up and took on the wrath of the Roth.  During the Auburn vs Vandy and OSU vs Wisconsin games, I managed to choke down four vodka and 7up drinks.  The first two were absolutely horrible, but into the third I suppose the alcohol was dulling my senses.  The last ones went down a bit better.  When it was all said and done, I had a nasty taste in my mouth, but I was borderline drunk.  Overall, it was a tame night, staying out of the bars and not mixing any other alcohol with the Roth.  Judging from the smell and taste of Roth, I was fearing the worst if I continued past four drinks.  Before bed, I took all the precautions by drinking plenty of water.  The next morning was nothing out of the ordinary.  I woke up alone with mild dehydration although I imagine it would have been severe if I drank much more.  How typical.  I must say I was glad to have the Roth behind me.  Now the only issue that remains is what to do with the rest of the bottle.

    That is the happy ending of part 1.  I hope the remaining parts turn out better.  For those of you who actually like this stuff, please feel free to comment or suggest ways to make it taste better.  After all, we might be stuck with these two bottles for awhile.  We’d really like to hear from the ones who actually paid the $40 or so for a 750ml bottle of this stuff.  For the rest of you who may decide to try if for yourself, good luck!

Sipability - 4.0

Mixability - 5.0

Drunkability - 6.0

Hangover-ability - 5.0

Bang for the Buck - 1.0

Overall -  5.0 

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    We BoozeBashers are always on the lookout for good spirits that are easy on the wallet,  so  I dug deeply into my alcohol-depleted memory banks and recalled a delicious vodka I had once consumed while on a road trip to Chicago with college buddies.  I remember stumbling across a half-gallon of vodka called Sobieski in Bobak’s Sausage Company (a Polish grocery store) that was on sale for $15.  I was elated to find any kind of liquor in a grocery store and even more excited to find this brand for such an affordable price.  I was later blown away by the taste of Sobieski that night.  After coming all the way home, I was shocked at how difficult it was to find this vodka.  A few years later, I found myself back in Chicago on business, and I was determined to get back to Bobak’s to get my hands on more Sobieski.  Unfortunately, my journey there failed to produce this vodka.  The trek from my Hilton Suite to Bobak’s began with a naked man on my elevator ride down and ended on a subway train around midnight when a particularly scary man progressed from talking to himself to random groans and eerie looks in my direction.  I decided to turn back before the train made it to my ultimate destination.  I thought I might never see Sobieski again, but to my delight, I noticed it beaming back at me one day from a shelf in a local liquor store!  I was a relatively inexperienced drinker the last time I consumed Sobieski, and wondered if  would I still like it?  How would it fare in a BoozeBasher tasting?  Read on to see.
 
    Sobieski is a Polish vodka named after King Jan III Sobieski and is actually owned by the Belvedere Company of France.  Poland claims to be the birthplace of vodka though the true origin of the spirit is debated.  The people at Sobieski renounce gimmicky trends like making vodka from grapes or distilling it many extra times.  Sobieski is made from Dankowski rye that is harvested from the Mazowse fields of Poland, and water from the Oligocene springs is used to create “one of the smoothest and purest vodkas in the world.”  That certainly sounds appealing to me.

    Sobieski smells and tastes like vodka should.  The scent yields a subtle alcohol smell with no noticeable fruity or sweet bouquets.  Similarly, the taste over ice doesn’t bring any cheap thrills.  There is nothing at all fancy about Sobieski’s flavor.  There is really no noticeable infused taste, but the grain gives a subtle yet deep and almost dark flavor to the vodka.  The incredible smoothness of the vodka almost entirely hides this taste until the exhale after sipping.  There is really no burn at all.  Sobieski finishes dry and succinctly.  It is fantastic!  I have tasted many “ultra-premium” vodkas, but Sobieski ranks among the tops for smoothness and pure enjoyability.  This vodka is so smooth and easy to drink on the rocks that it could prove dangerous in the wrong hands.  Drinking Sobieski with a little Sprite is equally enjoyable.  Although it lacks serious flavor to compliment the soda, it blends almost completely away.  If you concentrate, you can still pick up on a little bit of the grain taste, and you will still notice the dry finish.  Sobieski is the perfect vodka to slip extra booze in the drink of someone who *gasp* doesn’t like the taste of alcohol.  When mixed, this spirit goes from dangerous to deadly.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Naked Elevator Man pounded down a dozen of these drinks.  It would be frighteningly easy to do, and it might just make you comfortable with walking around naked in public.

    After drinking a good bit of Sobieski, I relished a state of noticeable drunkenness.  It was a functioning yet carefree state that was quite pleasurable.  It brought with the drunk a little kick of energy that would make this a great beverage to start a big night out on the town.  Just be careful not to lose count unless you don’t care to remain clothed.  The next morning wasn’t incredibly friendly.  I had noticeable cotton mouth, and my head was pounding in a very unkind fashion.  Sobieski is a spirit that should be consumed in excess primarily on the weekends.  I don’t think I would have enjoyed working too much after a night with this stuff.  

    You can get your hands on a 750ml bottle of Sobieski for around $12 or so, making it an utter steal.  It mixes extremely well, and the smooth drinking experience rivals that of vodka that costs more than double the price.  You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a bottle anymore now that they have expanded their US market a bit.  If you are like me and enjoy the taste of good vodka, buy a couple bottles and simply enjoy every drop neat or over ice.  You will be hard-pressed to find any vodka this good anywhere near its price range.

Sipability - 7.5

Mixability - 7.5

Drunkability - 8.0

Hangover-ability - 6.0

Bang for the Buck - 10.0

Overall -  7.5   

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    I’m sure every drinker has heard of Grey Goose vodka.  If you drink and you haven’t, what the hell are you doing with your life?  Where have you been?  Are you still living in your mother’s basement?  Why doesn’t she have a bottle?  I digress.  Before I fashioned myself a drinker, I knew of Grey Goose and Belvedere and heard tales of their premium quality.  Flash forward a couple years (yes, I said a couple, are you calling me a liar?), and now that I am a bit seasoned, it’s only natural to question things I have been taught.  Now that we started BoozeBasher, I get to share my self-indulgent findings with our unsuspecting readers.

    Grey Goose is distilled in the famous Cognac region of France from wheat harvested south of Paris and is imported to the US by the Sidney Frank Importing Company.  Goose is distilled in a continuous still and uses alpine spring water that has been filtered through the limestone plateaux of the Massif Central.  Grey Goose was released as a competitor to Absolut, but it was placed at a higher price point to suggest high quality.  Many actually attribute this vodka as being an inspiration for other high-priced vodka, as Absolut later released Level at a similar price, and other vodka brands began to appear more frequently at the higher price point.  We at BoozeBasher don’t like anyone driving up our liquor prices, but if it really means higher quality, we might be able to let it slide.

    The scent of Grey Goose is very much a classic vodka smell.  It’s a faint rubbing alcohol-like odor that does wonders for clearing the sinuses, but there is actually a little more underneath.  If your nose hairs survive repeat sniffings, you can pick up on the cooked grain scent with a slight smokiness and a hint of vanilla.  On ice, the cooked grain smell really opens up and pairs with the alcohol scent to launch an assault on the senses that will drive the vodkaphile mad with anticipation. 

    Goose goes down smoothly, and it really warms the pallet after the finish.  It’s a rather pleasant experience to sip over ice.  The taste could prove to be a little harsh for the casual vodka drinker because there is a definite sting of alcohol, but the cooked grain flavor really provides an enjoyable taste.  It’s nothing that is really going to knock your socks off and have you calling all your friends, but you will definitely be pleased.  While it may not be as flashy and unique-tasting as Cîroc, a newer French vodka creation that really innovates in the area of sipping taste from using a blend of grapes, Grey Goose does well to set itself apart along the more traveled path of grain vodka.  The aftertaste of this spirit is what makes it so satisfying.  You can easily pick up on the vanilla in the aftertaste.  It leaves a dry, warm, and inviting taste in your mouth.  Drinking Goose with Sprite© subdues the flavor a good bit, but it almost completely cuts all of the sting and alcohol taste.  Although the flavor is cut a good bit, you can still pick up on the cooked grain essence.  Though it doesn’t seem to add anything out-of-this-world to mixed drinks, it certainly blends very well, which is an attribute that many look for in a vodka.  

    After consuming four shots worth of the 80-proof Goose, I had a good, smooth buzz.  It wasn’t anything incredible, but it did give me a warm and almost content feeling that I rarely experience sober.  Once I drank the four shots, I even managed to venture forth from my cave-like dwelling for a bar adventure.  That’s a plus to reviewing Grey Goose; they tend to serve it pretty much everywhere.  As I was consuming another stiff Goose drink, I noticed two attractive females at the bar giving me “the look.”  It was so obvious that a drunken Wade even noticed and echoed my perceptions.  I was intrigued.  After Wade was greeted by the two with an uncharacteristically-positive response, I tapped into the liquid courage Goose gave me and approached the pack.  Things went downhill shortly afterwards.  I have no idea what happened, but it was obvious that they didn’t want to converse with me.  Could they have been eyeing Wade the whole time?  Surely not.  That experience will remain a mystery to me until drinking graciously removes that memory from my mind.  I’ll give Grey Goose a good mark for the drunkability simply for providing the social lubricant required for me to talk to unknown women. 

    The next morning didn’t give me too much trouble.  I awoke in good spirits.  I had some serious cotton mouth, but I was able to vanquish it with a little water.  I did experience slight nausea after being awake for a few hours, but that didn’t last long at all.  I don’t know if I can fault Grey Goose for that one; I might just blame my life pains for it.

    At a little over $30 for a 750ml bottle, Grey Goose is certainly not the most expensive vodka on the shelf, but you aren’t likely to be purchasing it with spare change you find in your couch either.  You can definitely find more interesting vodkas out there for that price.  However, if you are looking for a high-quality classic taste, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Goose.  I guess my liquor “educators” knew a thing or two about vodka after all.   

Sipability - 7.0

Mixability - 7.5

Drunkability - 7.0

Hangover-ability - 8.0

Bang for the Buck -  5.0

Overall -  7.5 

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