As a professional bartender with years of behind-the-bar experience, I've tasted, mixed, and served my fair share of spirits - from obscure craft distilleries to globally recognized icons. Over time, I've noticed a recurring pattern: certain brands achieve fame, hype, or luxury pricing that their actual liquid rarely justifies. That's what I mean by "overrated." For the purposes of this article, an overrated brand is one that is sought-after, valued, or frequently discussed, yet, in terms of aroma, flavor, or overall drinking experience, fails to live up to its popularity, demand, or price point.
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Sales of whiskey, tequila, and mezcal have shown impressive growth in recent years, yet vodka remains the most popular liquor in America by a wide margin. With its continued appeal, vodka distilleries continue to emerge nationwide - producing vodka is attractive to distillers because it can be made from any fermentable base ingredient and doesn't require extensive aging, so bottles can be sold quickly.
In the classic vodka version, the ethanol in the alcohol is used as an emulsifier in the sauce but doesn't really add any flavor. Since more flavor is more better, I decided to try swapping out my favorite adult beverage, and the result was a smoky take on the Italian American classic.
Despite the chatter, this claim is not actually accurate. The proof, in this case, is literally in the fine print; the Member's Mark vodka from Sam's Club has a label on the bottle stating that it was distilled in Louisville, Kentucky by I.W.A Distilling. This differs from the company producing the Kirkland brand of vodka at Costco, the LeVecke Corporation, based in Mira Loma, California.
