Tito's Handmade Vodka? Change of recipe?

Ever since I tried it, I've been a huge fan it Tito's Handmade vodka. I found it to be nearly as good as at the ultra premiums, but at a much nicer price. However, something has changed. I recently picked up a handle and, frankly, I was unimpressed. It had a lot of alcohol burn. I ranked it just slightly ahead of Smirnoff and far below Ketel One. What gives? Have they changed their recipe? Have my tastes changed? I considered Tito's to be one of the last great deals in vodka, but this bottle has really caused me to reevaluate that position. I really don't see how this bottle could have come anywhere near winning a spirits competition.

Has anybody else been less than excited about a recent bottle of this stuff?

I tried some a few years ago and noticed this. I used to be a huge fan. I thought my taste had refined and I never noticed the low quality.
When was the last time you tried it?
Poor QA? Bad batch?

D*Bo said:

I tried some a few years ago and noticed this. I used to be a huge fan. I thought my taste had refined and I never noticed the low quality.
When was the last time you tried it?
Poor QA? Bad batch?

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Probably a good four or five years ago or so. I'm not a big vodka drinker and so I get more gift bottles here or there than I can typically consume. Usually I buy Smirnoff for the cheap mixers, but I've been working on my liquor cabinets (plural) these past few weeks and needed to get them stocked up. I'm now up to four cabinets. LOL

I bought a full handle of the Tito's and, being the lover of all beverages that I am, I immediately cracked it open for a sample and was like, "Meh..."

Well, I may have to change my assessment. I did a single blind tasting with SWMBO tonight... Grey Goose, Tito's, and Smirnoff. SWMBO sniffed out the Smirnoff from a mile away but had to go back to the other two. On the second pass, she picked Tito's over Grey Goose. Now, I thought the smell alone was enough to give away the Tito's- I thought the Grey Goose had less of a rubbing alcohol smell and less of a burn, but SWMBO said the Tito's was better and of course, knowing what was what, I may have been biased.

Based on this thread alone (not to mention my own curiosity), I'm buying Tito's next time I see it. It's usually available at a reasonable price since it's distilled close by.

I picked up a 1/2 gallon at Costco last month for $23. They were doing a tasting. It was as fine as always. Then again, I am local and get the fresh stuff.

I did an infusion once with Tito's using fruit cake spices (no fruit).

That was very tasty especially in the winter.

Really I think Smirnoff is better than most. I will have to try this Titos.

I havent been impressed with a few of the ultras.

Yuri_Rage said:

Based on this thread alone (not to mention my own curiosity), I'm buying Tito's next time I see it. It's usually available at a reasonable price since it's distilled close by.

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MikeFlynn74 said:

Really I think Smirnoff is better than most. I will have to try this Titos.

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I'd be interested in both of your assessments. I'm not a huge vodka lover and I strongly suspect that of all beer/liquor/wine fanatics, vodka fanatics are the least likely to know what they are talking about. After all, how can you get so worked up about a beverage that, at it's best, is meant to taste like nothing at all? You might as well be a reverse-osmosis water fanatic, imho. So, from the start, I view vodka snobs with suspicion.

My suspicion of vodka lovers, however, is further fueled by the fact that many of them get excited about flavored vodkas, most of which use artificial flavoring and colors. As bad as it is to get excited about a flavorless beverage, it's even worse to get excited about the adult equivalent of a children's sno-cone. Even the naturally-flavored vodkas rouse my suspicion because it's really nothing more than a simple infusion that most people could do at home with minimal effort. I just don't see why you would get excited about something you could do yourself with just a couple minutes of effort.

SWMBO has a friend who insists on always buying "top shelf". I scoff at him for not experimenting and I suppose he thinks I am a cheapskate. When he was over the other day, he mentioned my lack of grenadine, to which SWMBO replied that we use pomegranate liqueur in its place. He said there was no replacement for grenadine! When SWMBO told me this, I laughed. Why is he adamantly defending the use of an artificially colored, artificially flavored, corn-syrup filled mixer? Especially when a naturally-flavored substitute is available (Pama). This is my view of vodka snobs- they come off as knowledgeable, but really don't have much to say.

Anyway, I'm open to opinions. I'm trying to keep an open mind. Depending on how your tastings go, I may keep Tito's in my rotation... the price is nice enough.

So when anybody gives it a try, feel free to post up with a review.

I like how Absolute is somehow topshelf stuff. I know a lot of "vodak" fanatics rave about Absolute.

Grey Goose and Belvedere are nice, just not worth the extreme cost. The new ones like Ciroc and Level are just a waste of money IMO.

I like Tito's for parties. It is one of my two go to's for cheaper vodka. The other is Russian Standard. Both cheap and good.

I am not a vodka snob, but I do prefer Reyka for myself. I think it has a cooler and smoother taste. Also, I never drink vodka so having a slightly more expensive bottle spaced over the 3 or so years it takes my wife and I to go through a bottle is worth it.

If you're looking for a reasonable value conscious alternative, Luksusowa has become our house vodka choice.

Bump!

Has anybody tried it recently?

brewt00l said:

If you're looking for a reasonable value conscious alternative, Luksusowa has become our house vodka choice.

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Luksusowa has been my "reasonable value conscious alternative" also.
I've never tried Tito's but I think he next.

I had a grape vodka a few years ago (not ciroc, but I cant remember the brand) it was one of the best vodkas Ive ever had, no alcohol flavor or scent and it didnt have anymore than the most subtle grape flavor. Im going to see if I can find the brand name.
The worst vodka Ive ever had was gordons, it tastes like using a permanent marker as a straw to suck up rubbing alcohol.

I've had that grape vodka too.....the name escapes me. Not bad at all.....one of the only vodkas, I've ever been able to stomach in a martini. I'm a gin man myself.

Luksusowa is good... Svedka is a good cheaper vodka as well. Essentially, if I want a potato vodka, Luksusowa is the most cost-effective. If I want grain, I go with Svedka. I've never tried Tito's. Handmade and vodka don't seem to go together IMO. With vodka, the more technology the better. The ultimate goal in vodka is for ethanol to be the only alcohol present (no fusels). This would be difficult to achieve by "hand-making" it.

I'm no vodka connoisseur, but the best vodka I've ever had was Stolichnaya Gold... smoother than a silk sheet on a hot date with a babe... ah, I lost my train of thought. (a la Seinfeld) A bit pricy, but it's very smooth!

Luksusowa is very clean for the cost. It's my current go-to. The bottle of Svedka I tried really tasted inferior. I don't drink vodka straight, so spending tons of cash for the seemingly perfect vodka would be ridiculous. One exception is Van Gogh espresso vodka. This stuff is just awesome. Spike a vanilla porter with some and it is divine. It turns into this dessert/coffee/beer concoction that is addictive. They're the only brand that makes a coffee vodka that I've seen so I can't suggest any cheaper alternative.

Vodka. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm rubbing alcohol.

My wife is a vodka fan. She like Tito's but Grey Goose is her fav. We are always trying new ones but it is hard to know what is going to be good while standing on the Vodka isle in the liquor store. Sometimes you are just paying for a fancy bottle.

We live here in Austin and my wife Drinks it by the Handle.

She has not noticed a change.

The ultimate goal in vodka is for ethanol to be the only alcohol present (no fusels). This would be difficult to achieve by "hand-making" it.

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Most all large scale makers use a continuous distillation process, where very little of the fusel oils are removed. So actually a "hand made" or a batch process allows for removal of the fusels resulting in a far superior product. Assuming the wort is clean and the distiller competent.

I couldn't bare to read to the end of this thread without acknowledging the wit in this post.

Cheers, mate, it put a smile on my face and a chuckle, or two, to boot

Sir Humpsalot said:

I'd be interested in both of your assessments. I'm not a huge vodka lover and I strongly suspect that of all beer/liquor/wine fanatics, vodka fanatics are the least likely to know what they are talking about. After all, how can you get so worked up about a beverage that, at it's best, is meant to taste like nothing at all? You might as well be a reverse-osmosis water fanatic, imho. So, from the start, I view vodka snobs with suspicion.

My suspicion of vodka lovers, however, is further fueled by the fact that many of them get excited about flavored vodkas, most of which use artificial flavoring and colors. As bad as it is to get excited about a flavorless beverage, it's even worse to get excited about the adult equivalent of a children's sno-cone. Even the naturally-flavored vodkas rouse my suspicion because it's really nothing more than a simple infusion that most people could do at home with minimal effort. I just don't see why you would get excited about something you could do yourself with just a couple minutes of effort.

SWMBO has a friend who insists on always buying "top shelf". I scoff at him for not experimenting and I suppose he thinks I am a cheapskate. When he was over the other day, he mentioned my lack of grenadine, to which SWMBO replied that we use pomegranate liqueur in its place. He said there was no replacement for grenadine! When SWMBO told me this, I laughed. Why is he adamantly defending the use of an artificially colored, artificially flavored, corn-syrup filled mixer? Especially when a naturally-flavored substitute is available (Pama). This is my view of vodka snobs- they come off as knowledgeable, but really don't have much to say.

Anyway, I'm open to opinions. I'm trying to keep an open mind. Depending on how your tastings go, I may keep Tito's in my rotation... the price is nice enough.

So when anybody gives it a try, feel free to post up with a review.

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I don't know what the score is for the rest of the world but the Smirnoff we get here in Japan is shown as being manufactured in Korea.

So, possibly the OP's claims of change are a result of production in a different location.

A few words from a retired liquor store owner. Try Svedka Vodka. Here in CO it is priced with Smirnoff but will drink with Ketel or Absolut IMHO. Sold oceans of the stuff back in the day.

I've lived in Ukraine for over 8 years....

THEY know vodka!!

5 STATE run distilleries that turn out the ethanol!!

Then "labels" take this and make their product!!

IF you ever get a chance to buy BELUGIA (russian) .... it will spoil you!!

BEST by far!

KSA (UKR) guy

everything time ive had titos ive woken up the next morning feeling like a huge bag of ginas.... stuff is wicked... the one and only time i pissed the bed from drinking haha... talk about a walk of shame... car ride home was fun haha

Tito's is the vodka we normally keep in the house. I like it. We don't drink a lot of liquor anymore but when we need vodka, it's there.

Svedka is good cheap vodka. I don't think it's much different from Absolute in quality but it's much cheaper. I don't get the love for Absolute other than their marketing is very good. I like monopolowa, even though it is a really cheap vodka. It's rough around the edges in a way that I think makes it interesting to drink. I haven't had it in a while but I remember liking it, even when I was 21.

Kettle One is my top shelf vodka of choice but I usually defer to Tito's since we get that in most of the bars around town these days. Grey Goose and Belvedere are good but not my preference. Stoli is fine.

I had a long love affair with vodka in my partying days.