As I sat down for lunch at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab in downtown D.C., with my friend Vic Matus to discuss his new book, there was little question about what would accompany our meal.
"Tito’s martini, up, with a twist, please," I told the waiter.
"The same, but with olives," Vic said.
We were there to talk vodka and Vic’s new book, Vodka: How a Colorless, Odorless, Flavorless Spirit Conquered America. We figured we might as well get some first-hand experience with the subject matter.
"Americans drink more vodka than any other spirit. It makes up 32 percent of the market; that’s essentially one out of three cocktails, totaling more than $5 billion in supplier revenue," Vic informs readers in the introduction of his book. "According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Americans purchased more than sixty-five million cases of vodka in 2012."
Sipping our martinis, Vic noted that, originally, the vodka filtering process was a selling point for customers trying to avoid a headache the next day.
"Because vodka is distilled to such a high degree—190 proof—it is stripped of all those congeners and impurities that are said to cause hangovers. This is what led Sidney Kanbar to create SKYY, a vodka so pure it shouldn't lead to hangovers," Vic said.
Needless to say, the government wasn’t terribly fond of such a sales pitch. "He took back that claim, by the way, when the government got wind of it. The feds pointed out that you drink any alcohol, there are going to be some repercussions."
Still, highlighting the ways in which vodkas are filtered is a big selling point for brands looking to distinguish themselves in a crowded market. But buyer-beware: The terms are somewhat slippery.
"Filtering is what marketers call a ‘proof point.’ It's just a way to lure customers," Vic said. "Suppose your distillery has a low ceiling and you can't fit a tall column still. You break it down into three or four shorter stills. Now your vodka is quadruple-distilled? Does each copper plate inside a still count as distillation?"
Faced with row after row of vodka as you peruse the liquor store, making a choice can be daunting. If the liquor is to be mixed with something—say, added to a punch—I tend toward Kingsley Amis’ fourth general principle: "For any liquor that is going to be mixed with fruit juices, vegetable juices, etc., sweetening, strongly flavored cordials and the like, go for the cheapest reliable article. Do not waste your Russian or Polish vodka, etc."
I, like any civilized person, avoid vodkas that have been "flavored." But if you are drinking something a bit more adult—say, a martini—there a quite a few options. So what does Vic think you should look for?
Simply put: taste.
"Don't worry about price or the bottle shape. Wyborowa once commissioned Frank Gehry to design its bottle. It looked like one of those knowledge cylinders from Superman's Fortress of Solitude," Vic said.
"Do you like the taste? Can you enjoy it on the rocks? That should be your vodka. It doesn't have to come from thousand-year-old glacier water. I like SKYY. I like Tito's."
I am an Absolut man, myself, the revelation of which prompted a memory from Vic. "Our late friend Lev Nisnevitch only drank Absolut. Remember what he used to say? ‘Stoli is SHEET.’ But some people like the SHEET."
One thing that isn’t SHEET: Vic’s book. Granted, I’m biased, as I wish nothing more than for the book to be a big success. But it is, objectively speaking, a handsome volume, filled with full-color pictures to accompany the fascinating stories he tells.
Perfect for the coffee table or for the Metro commute, Vodka is a tasteful glimpse into America’s favorite liquor.