Kauffman

Russia
Taste
10
Aftertaste
8
Design
9
Price
1
7

too expensive maybe?

This is a review of Kauffman vodka from Russia. I sampled it in China in 2010. It’s clear, 40% alcohol, and I thought the price was a statement more than anything else.

There was one thing I particularly liked about this brand: the name. It reminded me of Konstantin von Kaufman (Константин фон-Кауфман), the first Governor-General of Russian Turkestan in the 19th century.

Still, after all this time, thinking of Central Asia with its magical place names like Samarkand or Bukhara can instantly give me goosebumps.

the box

Okay, so this vodka has nothing to do with the Silk Roads. I went to a liquor store in Vladivostok to buy it, and it set me back about 45€ for 700ml. Damn.

The bottle I got came in a nice box, though. Too bad I didn’t take a picture of it. I was too intrigued by the bottle itself, which reminded me a of an oversized perfume flask. I liked it, though.

no love for Kauffman vodka?

Fast forward to 2021, and I’m surprised to find out that the domain kauffmanvodka.com is up for sale. There is a Facebook page, but it hasn’t been updated in over five years. On the banner it says: CHAMPAGNE IS FOR WIMPS:

Kauffman vodka Facebook page

from facebook.com/kauffmanvodka on September 26th 2021

So far it looks like the brand might have died an untimely death.

But it turns out that Roust owns Kauffman vodka now:

Kauffman vodka page

from roust.com/brands/kauffman on October 9th 2021

If you want to know more about Roust, read my reviews of Green Mark and Russian Standard – the history of the company is pretty fascinating.

almost perfect but…

Anyway, time to talk about the vodka itself: Kauffman vodka had an extremely refined, smooth taste. So far so good.

But unlike the legendary Beluga Noble, it didn’t quite have that perfect aftertaste. There was something lacking in the aroma. Je ne sais quoi.

not worth the money

Don’t get me wrong, this vodka is very, very good. It’s just too expensive.

I think the best use for a bottle of Kauffman vodka is as a gift. It’s about as luxurious as vodka can get (if you’re not into Fabergé Eggs). Otherwise, save your money and get a Beluga Noble instead. Or a Russian Standard.