Wine Openers

Despite a frost warning in the mountains surrounding town, today was warm enough (mid-70s) for a vodka tonic to cut the dust and I was pleased to try a new and very affordable ($10 for a .750l)  vodka.

Exclusiv vodka was introduced to the U.S. this spring and already has beeen adopted by many reviewers.

Exclusiv vodka was introduced to the U.S. earlier this year and anyone Googling the name will find many reviewers of this Moldava-made spirit already have adopted this import as one of their favorite vodkas.

A $10 vodka attracts new drinkers simply because of the price but don’t let that stop you – this is a very nice vodka despite its lower-shelf price point.

Here is what one PR notice said: “The Double Gold medal winners in the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition prove that spending more money for a bottle of Vodka doesn’t guarantee better taste.

In a surprising upset, Vodka newcomer, Exclusiv Vodka, beat out several major brands including Absolut, Chopin, Smirnoff, Finlandia, and others and costs a fraction of the price.

“Exclusiv Vodka stood up to more than 1,200 spirits being judged this year—the largest group of entries in the 12-year history of the competition.”

Heady stuff for any spirit, much less one you never heard of before this spring.

There’s something about the water used in this vodca (that’s how the website spells it, sort of early Moldavian) as being a factor in its smooth entry and pleasant taste but I’ll leave that to the experts.

I found it quite pleasant with tonic and in dirty martinis. Exclusiv also comes in several flavored styles (the numbers on the bottles relate to the flavors), including Berry and Rosé, both of which brightened up mixed drinks.

Keep Exclusiv vodka (no matter how you spell it) around for the holiday season, you’ll find plenty of reasons to use it.