So, what does a good Vodka taste like?

[WelshGin]

I have tasted many vodkas. The usual £20 litre to what I assume might might be good at £40 for 700ml.

The expensive variants are smooth, layered, encourages you to quof more.

What's the difference in manufacturing and ingredients? The more expemsive appear more viscous even at room temperature.

So what are we/should we be trying to make here?

[OldPal]

To me, a vodka should taste of grain it was made from. Not blatantly like a white whiskey or a Korn/Doppelkorn, but in the mouth feel you should have a flavor that you will be able to detect as potato, rye or wheat. These days, most vodka is not vodka, it's neutral alcohol, GNS or Azeotropic ethanol. It could be made from anything. On Monday from Bananas, on Tuesday from corn, on Wednesday from old tennis shoes, and the consumer would not taste any difference.

[Peter_stanaway]

If its UK vodka it shouldn't taste of any thing as by law it needs to be from pure then proofed down to 40% ish which leaves it tasteless

[Corn Cracker]

It should taste pretty neutral for a typical commercial brand, the better brands might have a slight hint of the fermented material that produced it.

I did find a few USTTB rules on calling it vodka
1 It can be made from any fermentable material like grains, potato fruit or sugar

2 it has to be distilled at 190pr or higher

3 you can now filter it to remove any remaining impurities or characteristics

4 it cannot be aged on wood

5 it has to be bottled at no less than 80 pr.

I looked up the laws for it a while back and did not know about #3

[Copperhead road]

I don’t drink much vodka but when I do it’s either Grey Goose or Belvedere. They both have a taste and mouth feel, definitely not tasteless.

[WelshGin]

I make Vodka for a few friends. Best nuetral I can produce, proofed down to 40%Abv. Added to 1/2 the recommended measure of the SS Vodka essence and 5ml of Glycerine for mouth feel per 750ml bottle. My friends tell me that tastes like GreyGoose.

I have some GreyGoose and yes it is same/similar, but how would I know? I like something with some cut and bite. Gin, Gin, Gin, Gin!