TUI!



What is “TUI”?

Tiffany’s Useless Information.  

I love sharing information that I find fascinating, which many of you may find completely boring.  So let me know what you think of this blog. 

Here goes…

As many of you know, my “drink of choice” is a vodka martini -- shaken not stirred.  Ahh love that James Bond Stuff.   You know in UndercoverWear, WJJ is Agent “007” and I’m Agent “001!”

My favorite vodka is Grey Goose. 

Now here we go with all my TUI!  Most of you know that Grey Goose is made in France. But did you know that it was actually developed by an American named Sidney Frank? In the 80’s he obtained importing rights to Jagermeister and promoted it, heavily! Advertising it as the best drink in the world. Subsequently, it turned a specialty brand, into a mainstream success.  In 1997, he introduced Grey Goose Vodka and marketed it primarily in the USA.  He created the brand in order to compete with the Polish vodka Belvedere, but geared the marketing to America.   He promoted and marketed Grey Goose so well that in just 7 years, he was able to sell the brand to Bacardi in June 2004 for 2 BILLION DOLLARS!!

Who say’s marketing isn’t important?!

Another vodka that I love is Kirkland.  I was told it was the same as Grey Goose, so of course, I researched that as well. Both vodkas are made in the Cognac region of France. Both Kirkland and Grey Goose are made in Cognac with distillation techniques sourced from the neighboring Cognac houses. The vodkas are five times distilled in a state of the art distillery. Both are made from 100% fine French wheat.

Vodka can be made out of many things like wheat, rye, potatoes, grapes and many other things. Both use pure artesian spring water, originating in the Massif Mountains of France. This water flows into cognac after being filtered naturally through champagne limestone leaving it rich in minerals and flavor.  While the processes are almost identical, there seems to be a slight difference in taste. (But only a true vodka aficionado can differentiate.)  Plus Kirkland is far less expensive than Grey Goose.  Although I couldn’t find verification anywhere, could it be that Kirkland is indeed made by Grey Goose? Obviously they don’t want that “secret” out.  See, they don’t call me Agent 001 for nothing!

Now my third vodka that I really enjoy may surprise you.  It is relatively new and made in Minnesota!  It is called Opulent and it very well may be my new favorite vodka.  It is made out of wheat and it too is distilled five times.  Check out their website --very interesting. 

OK just a few more to go!

Skyy Vodka boasts it has the fewest impurities , it’s made in the US out of “winter wheat” …whatever that is.

Stoli Gold is by far the smoothest, made in Russia out of wheat.

And both Chopin and Belvedere are considered the truest vodkas, perhaps because the word vodka was first recorded in Poland.  Plus as a western block country, Poland is part of the “vodka block”.

…By the way Chopin is made from potatoes, while Belvedere is made from Rye. 

And finally, the vodka that I personally dislike the most is Ciroc, which is made from grapes in France.

Well by now, you are all either totally bored or you have poured yourself a vodka martini!