Vodka has an image problem — most people treat it as a neutral commodity. Crystal and Roger have reviewed vodka as seriously as any other category, finding genuine differences in base ingredient, production method, and character. Here's the ranked list. 🥇 #1 — Loft & Bear Artisanal Vodka | The Black-Owned LA Distillery That Beats Grey Goose Purpose-driven, Black-owned, and genuinely better than the premium mainstream competition. Crystal and Roger said it directly: in a blin

The most-asked vodka questions — answered by Crystal and Roger of The Liquor Connoisseur®. What is vodka made from? Vodka can be distilled from virtually any fermentable sugar source — grain (wheat, rye, corn, barley), potato, grapes, sugarcane, and even milk whey. The base ingredient significantly affects the flavor profile despite vodka's reputation as neutral. Wheat produces a soft, slightly sweet character. Rye produces a spicier, creamier profile. Potato produces an eart

Crystal and Roger take the Black Momma Vodka experience all the way to the source — an in-person distillery tour followed by a focused review of the Peach Tea Vodka. What they find is a brand built on real craft conviction, not just a compelling backstory. Bottle Specs Spirit: Black Momma Vodka — Peach Tea Vodka Distillery: Black Momma Vodka (Black women-owned) Category: Flavored Vodka ABV: 35% (70 proof) Price: ~$25–30 Flavor: Peach tea — genuine flavoring, not artificial Th

Tito's Handmade Vodka is the benchmark that every American craft vodka gets compared to. Crystal and Roger bring Black Momma Vodka into that exact conversation — is this Black-owned craft vodka worth the comparison, and does it win? Bottle Specs Spirit: Black Momma Vodka Distillery: Black women-owned and operated Category: Premium American Craft Vodka Base: Grain vodka ABV: 40% Price: ~$25–30 The comparison: Tito's Handmade Vodka at ~$20–25 The Tito's Standard Tito's Handmade

J. Rieger & Co. is one of the great American distillery revival stories — a Kansas City pre-Prohibition institution that closed in 1919 and reopened in 2014. Crystal and Roger bring their Premium Wheat Vodka to the library and evaluate whether the revival is living up to the legacy. Bottle Specs Spirit: J. Rieger & Co. Premium Wheat Vodka Distillery: J. Rieger & Co., Kansas City, Missouri (est. 1887, revived 2014) Category: American Craft Wheat Vodka Base grain: Winter wheat

Loft & Bear is a Black-owned Los Angeles craft distillery making a bold claim: their artisanal vodka is better than Grey Goose. Crystal and Roger take that claim seriously and taste with fresh, unbiased palates. Bottle Specs Spirit: Loft & Bear Artisanal Vodka Distillery: Loft & Bear Distillery, Los Angeles, California Ownership: Black-owned and operated Category: American Craft Vodka Base: Grain (winter wheat) ABV: 40% Price: ~$30–35 The comparison claim: Better than Grey Go

💧 SPIRIT 101: VODKA Vodka gets a bad reputation as a flavorless, neutral filler spirit. But quality vodka has tremendous nuance — the base ingredient, distillation method, and water source all contribute to subtle but real differences in texture, mouthfeel, and finish. This guide will change how you look at the category. What is Vodka? Vodka is a neutral spirit distilled to a very high proof (typically 190 proof / 95% ABV) and then diluted back down to bottling strength (usu

Acre Golden Halo is a barrel-rested vodka that approaches its category with whiskey maker sensibility. Crystal and Roger evaluate whether a vodka that thinks like whiskey is actually a vodka worth drinking — or something else entirely. Bottle Specs Spirit: Acre Distilling Golden Halo Barrel-Rested Vodka Distillery: Acre Distilling Co., Fort Worth, Texas Category: Barrel-Rested Vodka Base: Grain vodka — column distilled Aging: American oak barrel rest ABV: ~40% Price: ~$35–40

Vodka doesn't have to be boring — and Belvedere's Organic Infusions Pear & Ginger proves it. Crystal and Roger taste through this elevated flavored vodka and evaluate whether Poland's premium vodka house has figured out what 'premium' actually means in the flavored vodka space. Bottle Specs Spirit: Belvedere Organic Infusions Pear & Ginger Vodka Producer: Belvedere Vodka — Polmos Żyrardów, Poland Category: Organic Infused Vodka Base: Dankowskie Diamond Rye vodka Infusion: Pea

Vodka finished in oak barrels

Mixed drink made using Vodka. As a neutral spirit, vodka can be paired with anything.