Six of the best: Vodkas

Boru Vodka

Distilled from: A variety of grain

Distillation: Five times distilled

Fact: Named after legendary king Brian Boru who united Ireland in 1014.

COMMENT: Hailing from a nation famed for its whiskey, Ireland's Boru vodka doesn't mix well with others. The first sip is crisp with a sweetness on the tongue and a slight, bready sense of Guinness.

www.boru.com

Cold River Vodka

Distilled from: Maine potatoes and pure water drawn from the cold river aquifer

Distillation: Triple distilled

Fact: Named after the Cold River where the water is taken from and distilled.

COMMENT: Working in concert with its boldness, the potato distilled beverage also encompasses a savory sensation with a hint of vanilla flavoring.

www.coldrivervodka.com

Vox Vodka

Distilled from: 100 percent wheat

Distillation: Five times distilled

Fact: Industrial designer Laura Handler created the VOX bottle.

COMMENT: Vox is one of the rare vodkas with an intensely revitalizing aftertaste. Its spicy, tangy flavor might not suite all vodka drinkers, but for those with an excitable palate it's a tasty choice. The bottle design is modest, yet it still manages to come off as contemporary.

www.voxvodka.com

Skyy Vodka

Distilled from: Midwestern grain and 100% pure filtered water.

Distillation: Proprietary quadruple-distillation and triple-filtration process

Fact: The largest domestic super-premium vodka brand in the US.

COMMENT: Made from the finest winter amber wheat, this vodka is potent, yet smooth going down - followed by a bitter aftertaste on the palate. It works best served chilled and compliments mixers nicely - without revealing itself too much. The sleek, deep blue bottle is impressive when it catches the light.

www.skyy.com

Ketel One Vodka

Distilled from: 100 percent wheat

Distillation: Distilled in alembic copper pot stills, filtered over loose charcoal and rests in tile lined tanks until ready

Fact: Distillery was `born' in 1691.

COMMENT: One of the first ultra-premium vodkas on the market, this Holland spirit features an illustrated label on its clear, slender bottle to add character. It has a clean, lightly citrus taste tinged with lemon and a slight sweetness, succeeded by a menthol aftertaste. It works well both chilled and at room temperature with mixers, however a slight undercurrent of charcoal makes straight drinking tough for an extended amount of time.

www.ketelone.com

Blue Ice Vodka

Distilled from: Idaho Russet Burbank Potatoes and Mountain Spring Water

Distillation: Distilled in a four-column apparatus via fractional distillation

Fact: It takes 9.5 lbs of potatoes to craft each bottle of Blue Ice Vodka.

COMMENT: With an extremely smooth flavour, Blue Ice is good for the understated vodka drinker. Its subtlety is complimented by the somewhat earthy, rich taste due to the potatoes and complex distillation process. The bottle is classy as it incorporates a blue icicle look without being tacky.

www.blueicevodka.com