Vodka????
Written: Dec 30 '00 (Updated Apr 27 '01)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Decent For Mixing
Cons: can't ask for it by brand name alone
The Bottom Line: Good enough to drink but nothing special.
|
|
|
| Boomerang's Full Review: Tanqueray Sterling Vodka |
Early in my ten year bar tending career I had an interesting situation come up that I've shared countless times with other experienced bar tenders. The time period on the hooch calendar was around the time all the flavored vodkas were coming out and new drinks were being created right, left and upside down. It was also shortly after Tanqueray released Sterling Vodka.
Tanqueray was already a widely known barhold name for it's gin. I was doing the college bar scene at the time and the kids who liked to pretend they knew something would get a Tanqueray and tonic. Basically a gin and tonic mix with a lime garnish but ordered from the top shelf (ie. the good stuff). The clever ones (well, they thought they were clever) always shortened it to a "T N T." As a bartender I liked these orders as it was a rather simple drink to concoct, required no blender use and enabled to move to the next customer in a few short seconds.
One afternoon I opened up the bar I was working at and a couple walks in and sits down at the bar. He gets a beer and she orders a Tanqueray and tonic. This was all great as I still had more work to do getting the bar set up for the later, busier hours. I had their drinks ready quickly.
In less than a minute the girl called me over and complained her drink tasted funny. I verified she wanted a Tanqueray and tonic and made her a new one. This too was funny. I knew darn well I hadn't messed up such a simple drink with either attempt so asked her what the funny taste was like and she said, "well, it tastes like there's gin in it." A rare occasion for me, I was momentarily speechless. This was a month after Tanqueray had released it's new vodka and we carried it but it not only wasn't widely known yet, it certainly wasn't what came to almost anyone's mind when they thought of Tanqueray. Her mind was a bit different. As I handed her the Tanqueray vodka tonic she said, "You mean they make a gin too?" Inconceivable.
Anyway, that's the story. The vodka itself is not bad but they make a better gin (if you like that kind of stuff). It's smoother than getting a bottle of Kamchatka Vodka or even Gordon's but I'd rather stick to Absolut or, even better, El Duris vodka if it ever makes a come back.
It really isn't smooth enough for the top shelf. If you are drinking it on the rocks or shooting it don't get this Vodka as even Smirnoff would be better. For mixing purposes though, Tanqueray Sterling is absolutely adequate to the task and the taste so there's no need to be upset if that's all that's on hand.
Last piece of advice: if you're in a bar and want a Tanqueray vodka tonic, specify vodka. You have a better chance of getting the right drink that way.
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Boomerang
|
|
Member: Mitch Posner
Location: Amarillo, TX
Reviews written: 85
Trusted by: 10 members
About Me:
I'm an opinionated, misplaced, New Yorker Know it all who loves Heineken and my family.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.