Latest news with #vodka
Forbes
7 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The World's Best Vodka, According To The 2025 SF World Spirits Competition
The Vodka finalists at the 2025 SFWSC. Notwithstanding the growth of tequila and bourbon over the last decade, vodka remains the largest spirits category by volume and still ranks among the top three for revenue. It is also one of the biggest categories at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which draws some of the world's best vodkas each year. Seven vodkas are finalists at the SFWSC: five for World's Best Vodka and two for World's Best Flavored Vodka. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes for the finalists. Kalvelage Distillery, located in Santa Catarina, Brazil, is among the leading vodka brands in the country. Kalvelage Vibe Vodka is made from 100% Brazilian cereals. Its exceptional smoothness makes it perfect for enjoying straight or as a base for a cocktail. The vodka presents a clean and fresh aroma, featuring a hint of minerality and subtle sweet grain undertones. It's smooth and silky on the palate, with well-integrated alcohol and a gentle yet persistent sweetness. The finish is long and crisp, leaving a lingering sweetness. Although better known for its exceptional whiskeys, High Bank Distillery Co., located in Columbus, Ohio, produces vodka distilled from organic wheat and Ohio-grown apples. This vodka has been a frequent medalist at international spirit competitions and has won several Double Gold medals at the SFWSC. The vodka presents a clean and fresh aroma with a hint of apple sweetness. It is crisp and smooth on the palate, exhibiting a silky texture and featuring subtle notes of apple and vanilla. The finish is refreshing, with a lingering sweetness. Produced by Prodal in Romania, Stalinskaya Vodka is known for its strength and smoothness. The term in Russian means 'Man of Steel." Joseph Stalin adopted the name as his pseudonym in 1912. Otherwise, there is no association between him and the vodka. The vodka undergoes triple distillation and is filtered through coconut shell activated charcoal. The vodka presents buttery notes on the nose, highlighting sweet cream, citrus, croissant, and candied nut aromas. The palate is smooth and robust, offering hints of waxy honeycomb and black pepper. The finish is long and bold, with lingering notes of pepper. Sobieski Vodka is produced in Poland using 100% rye and pure spring water. Named after King Jan III Sobieski, it reflects the traditions of Polish vodka-making. Sobieski commanded the Christian army that lifted the Second Ottoman siege of Vienna in 1683. He led the largest cavalry charge ever recorded, breaking the Ottoman line and securing victory. The vodka boasts an intense flavor profile with pronounced spicy and rye bread aromas. It's dry on the palate, complemented by flavors of toasted rye bread and spicy rye. The finish is long and flavorful, leaving lingering notes of spice and rye bread. It's excellent served straight and will also shine in spicy cocktails, such as a Bloody Mary. Summum Vodka is made in Cognac, France, with local wheat and spring water. It is filtered multiple times through different materials to guarantee its smoothness. The vodka is light and slightly floral on the nose, with hints of coconut and wheat bread. The palate offers nuanced flavors of fresh coconut, wheat bread, and an earthy truffle note with a touch of pepper. The finish is long and smooth, featuring a subtle lingering coconut note. The Flavored Vodka finalists from the 2025 SFWSC This flavored vodka blends Sobieski's classic rye vodka with natural grapefruit flavors, resulting in a refreshing, spicy citrus combination. The vodka is fresh and citrusy, evoking ripe grapefruit with subtle rye spices in the background. It's tangy and slightly bitter on the palate, offering a pronounced citrus and grapefruit flavor. The finish is clean and crisp. Tin City Distillery, in Paso Robles, California, infuses its vodka with real chocolate. The result is the ultimate dessert vodka. The vodka features dark chocolate and vanilla aromas on the nose. It is creamy and silky on the palate, seamlessly blending the chocolate and the vodka. The finish is long and smooth, with a lingering sweet chocolate note. These vodkas, sourced from around the world and crafted from diverse mash bills, are truly exceptional. They present a complex yet subtle flavor profile that faithfully showcases the raw materials, from rye to apples, from which they are crafted. They are excellent served neat and also work well in a range of cocktails.
Irish Times
26-05-2025
- Irish Times
Man (21) died after cardiac arrest following night out in Dublin, inquest hears
A 21-year-old from Northern Ireland , who died after suffering cardiac arrest following a night out in Dublin , was found to have an 'extremely high' blood-alcohol level after 'chugging' from a bottle of vodka, an inquest has heard. Ryan Roberts had been working in construction in Dublin, travelling back and forth from his family home in Omagh, Co Tyrone at the time of a Christmas work night out in Dublin city on November 30th, 2023. The group of workers, including Mr Roberts, had begun drinking at about 5pm before travelling to Camden Street and attending several late bars. Dublin District Coroner's Court heard that at one of the bars, one of Mr Robert's colleagues Michael Curtin recalled seeing him holding his chest while standing at the bar as though he was in pain but 'came around' after several minutes. READ MORE In his deposition Mr Curtin, who did not attend the hearing on Monday afternoon, said Mr Roberts had been drinking vodka with Red Bull 'all night'. The group left the bar at about 3am and walked back to an Airbnb after failing to get a taxi. They then continued drinking, during which Mr Curtin recalled Mr Roberts 'chugging' from a litre bottle of vodka, which the inquest heard was about half full. Mr Curtin said he told him to stop, to which he claimed Mr Roberts replied: 'I bet you £100 I will not be sick.' He said another colleague tried to take the bottle from him, 'but he just put it on his head', before finishing the bottle. Mr Roberts slid across the counter and fell to the floor about 15 minutes later, he said, and was subsequently brought to his bed and placed in the recovery position at about 5am. About three hours or so later, Mr Curtin checked on him and discovered that he was unresponsive, 'stiff, and his lips were blue' before calling for an ambulance. Mr Roberts had suffered two episodes of cardiac arrest, the second of which occurred while he was being transported to St James's Hospital. He was transferred to the intensive care unit, with investigations finding multiple organ failure and a 'devastating' hypoxic-ischemic brain injury sustained from a lack of oxygen due to the cardiac arrests. Despite 'aggressive' interventions, he continued to deteriorate and was commenced on palliative care before dying on December 2nd. Postmortem toxicology results found evidence of cocaine use, alongside a blood-alcohol level of 458mg per cent, described by coroner Dr Clare Keane as 'extremely high' and 'really close to the lethal range'. The brain injury, in the context of mixed alcohol and cocaine toxicity, was ultimately the cause of his death. A verdict of misadventure was recorded by Dr Keane who described it as a 'shocking and tragic death', saying it occurred following a night that was supposed to be a 'celebration and appreciation for Christmas'.
