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Vodka is an alcoholic drink that is very popular in Russia. Therefore, in stores it is presented in the widest assortment.
In most cases, buyers, if possible, opt for more expensive brands and varieties. But are “cheap” and “low-quality” vodka really synonymous?
What determines the price of vodka
The composition of both expensive and cheap vodka is the same – alcohol and water. For its production, 5 types of alcohol are used:
- “Alpha” and “Super” – grain spirits, are made from wheat, less often from rye. The almost complete absence of methanol and aldehydes ensures that starch, which contains pectin, is not used in their production. It is he who, in the manufacturing process, turns into methanol. These spirits undergo multi-stage filtration and are used only for premium vodka brands, for example, Five Lakes, Tundra, Graf Ledoff, National Present Alpha, Taiga Premium.
- “Lux” – the best option based on the price-quality ratio. Alcohol is made from grain and starch (or from beets), passes through several degrees of filtration. It is part of the vast majority of vodka varieties.
- “Extra” and “Highest Purification” – are considered the lowest quality alcohols, made from potato starch. The second option is subjected to minimal filtration, only fusel oils and coarse impurities are removed. “Extra” undergoes better purification, therefore it contains less methanol and esters.
Important! In addition to the raw materials for the manufacture of alcohol, the quality of the equipment on which the “semi-finished product” is cleaned, and the professionalism of those who work with it, matter. Otherwise, fusel oils may remain in the alcohol.
Water is allegedly purified with milk, silver, gold, vodka is also found on “artesian”, “spring”, “spring”, “glacial” water, “water from the purest lakes of Siberia”, and so on. Is it true or a marketing ploy – I can not judge. But I am rather skeptical about such statements by manufacturers.
Accordingly, we can conclude that the cost of vodka, of course, differs, but only slightly. And on the shelves of stores, the difference is calculated not even in hundreds, but in thousands of rubles. It comes from the cost of:
- “Promotion” of the brand. Large-scale advertising campaigns are designed to provide the brand with prestige.
- Package design. Beautiful packaging and a bright label on store shelves immediately attracts attention. And in this way, manufacturers are trying to complicate the task of counterfeiters.
How excises affect the price of vodka
According to various estimates, the excise tax ranges from 42-45% to 65-67% of the cost of a bottle of vodka. Moreover, it is included in the final cost of production, that is, in the end, it is paid by the consumer. From 01.01.2020/544/230, the excise tax on vodka increased to 0,5 rubles per liter of alcohol, and the minimum retail price immediately rose (to XNUMX rubles per XNUMX liter).
Can expensive vodka be of poor quality?
Sad but true: when buying expensive vodka, the risk of running into a fake is much higher. For me, this is another argument in favor of the fact that overpaying is still not worth it. To reduce the chances of buying counterfeit products, I strongly recommend purchasing vodka (and any alcohol in general) in specialized stores.
Although it is the producers of expensive vodka who are trying to protect themselves and customers from fakes with the help of additional costs for packaging. Complex and unusual bottles are more difficult to fake and not all scammers are ready to bother with their fake.
Important! At the slightest doubt about the quality of vodka, ask the sellers for the original certificate.
Expensive and cheap vodka: what is the difference
In order to distinguish frank counterfeit from high-quality vodka, you do not need to be an expert. The first one immediately gives out turbidity or a yellowish tint instead of crystal transparency, a noticeable unpleasant odor, a sharp aftertaste of fusel oils.
Important! The smell of acetone means that there is methyl alcohol in the vodka. She is life threatening.
But if the task is to distinguish vodka from the middle price segment from a product that belongs to the premium class without seeing the bottle, problems arise not only for ordinary consumers, but also for specialists. As practice shows, both the quality of alcohol and the type of water used, the technologies for its purification, practically do not affect the taste.
Such a rich taste and bouquet, like, for example, wine, vodka definitely does not have. But certain differences in drinks from different manufacturers are still present. Keep in mind that everyone has different tastes. Someone and expensive vodka may seem unpleasant.
Therefore, it is important to find “your” brand, the product that will be relatively easy to drink and will not bring unpleasant consequences in the morning. Quite affordable vodka “Husky”, “Myagkov”, “Green Mark”, “Winter Road”, “Russian Standard” is very popular.
When choosing vodka, many are guided by its high price, believing that this automatically provides the best quality. But in fact, a large cost is due to the brand’s costs for advertising, packaging design, and so on. Of course, you should not buy a frank counterfeit, but within the middle price segment, you can find very worthy options.
What do you think? Is it worth the extra cost to put a bottle of elite brand vodka on the table in front of guests?