5 | Spirits | Russia, $10 to $20

"Clear. Neutral wet stone and cream aromas. A buoyant entry leads to a round, dryish medium-to-full body of smooth cream, wheat dough, and delicate spice flavors. Finishes with a warming, peppery and sweet cream fade. A nice Russian vodka with a smooth classy edge."

"Pure stemmy herbal crushed raspberry, cream, and mineral aromas follow through to very smooth and silky, dryish medium body with nice mineral, white chocolate, and peppery spice accents. A fine, pure raspberry treat."

"Subtle vanilla baby oil aromas follow through to a soft, silky oily, and dry light-to medium body with cream and mineral accents and a rounded oily fade. Very subtle pure vanilla flavor with a great texture."

"Not much happens in the initial minutes of nosing; more air contact helps in releasing supplementary aromas of black pepper and cardamom. Palate entry taste shows minor league cereal grain spice (rye) and a welcome flash of spirity warmth; at midpalate, this vodka displays some grip and character in the forms of oily texture and the piquant, spicy graininess. Aftertaste hangs its hat on the spicy, rye-grain flavor that dominates at the tail end." 85-89 pts.

"Vibrant crushed blueberry and spice aromas. A silky,soft entry leads to a dryish medium body of blueberries, mineral oil, and whipped cream flavors. Finishes with a long, cream blueberry fade. Very pure and appealing flavor."

"First inhalation stamps the impression of ripe, fresh cranberry; with further time in the glass, the cranberry settles down. Palate entry is subtle as the ripe cranberry essence emerges at the end of the first taste wave; by midpalate, the flavor becomes graceful as the cranberry taste turns ripe, sweet and juicy, but neither cloying nor domineering. Aftertaste is long, ripe and properly acidic." 90-95 pts.