what’s with the name?

This is a review of Russian Standard Platinum vodka from Russia. I sampled it in Germany in 2010. It’s clear, 40% alcohol, and had me feeling confused – not only about the Platinum part.

This one is Russian Standard Platinum vodka. Think of it as the middle sister between Russian Standard (the regular brand) and Imperia (the luxury brand that I tried earlier this summer).

platinum or silver?

Not knowing what to make of the name Platinum, I went to Russian Standard’s website vodka.com to get more information. It said that the Platinum edition was MODERN AND REFINED, and that it had been filtered using SILVER:

from vodka.com/the-family/platinum on September 26th 2021

Silver? I thought. Why was it called Platinum then?

the Corolla conundrum

I keep wondering about these luxury brands in general. It seems as though every decent vodka brand needs to have at least one luxury offspring. Wasn’t the regular Russian Standard good enough?

The whole thing reminds me of Toyota and Lexus: here’s a company that’s doing well (Toyota), but rich folks won’t buy their products. Maybe they deem them too plebeian, I don’t know. Anyway the company goes ahead and creates a new luxury brand (Lexus).

A Corolla for the rich, hallelujah!

what the F

Back to the booze: Russian Standard Platinum vodka costs a bit more than the original (22€/700ml). And the bottle looks pretty fancy, too – that is if you like silver.

But what about the taste? And the aftertaste?

Weeeelll… the taste was smooth but not awesome. The aftertaste was there, and sure it was balmy, but it didn’t exactly blow me away either. They talk about CITRUS AROMA on the website, but I didn’t feel that. It was just good vodka.

Overall I think Russian Standard Platinum vodka is a bit like Imperia: not bad, but a bit pretentious and a bit overpriced.