Huffington Magazine Issue 78 | Page 64

TASTE Exit TEST HUFFINGTON 12.08.13 Introducing America’s Favorite Vodka BY KRISTEN AIKEN ESPITE VODKA being the No. 1 selling spirit in America, we’re convinced the majority of its fans are eating their meals in dining halls and walking around in pajama pants. Vodka isn’t exactly a darling of the mixology community, but in terms of overall popularity, the numbers speak for themselves. Last year, a consumer study revealed the five vodkas preferred by American consumers, listing Grey Goose as the favorite. The study D PHOTOGRAPHS BY WENDY GEORGE is in direct conflict with a 2005 New York Times blind tasting of 21 world-class vodkas, which ranked Smirnoff the “hands-down favorite.” So of course, we had to put those top-5 finishers to the test. We polled our newsroom to find both vodka lovers and haters. We discovered the vast majority abhors vodka, but there were a few vodka lovers (who ... happened to be young females). So... did our results align with America’s? Find out ahead. As always, this taste test is in no way sponsored or influenced by the brands included.