Their vodka brethren began showing up in the early '70s with Stolichnaya, the first of the superpremium vodkas, which was made from superior winter wheat, rather than inferior grains like corn, and pure glacial water. Absolut from Sweden joined the fray in the early 1980s. The next vodka level was achieved with Stolichnaya Cristall, which elevated superpremium vodka to what one might call ultrapremium status. Many also put the Dutch Ketel One into this category because of its center batch method, which discards the early harsh and later weak products of distillation, resulting in a remarkably smooth and pure vodka. Smirnoff, the leading vodka brand in the world, got into the high-priced sweepstakes last year with Smirnoff Black.
Careful filtration cleanses the spirit without wiping out the flavor.
Smirnoff Black uses Siberian silver birch charcoal to filter the vodka and add flavor. You can either store them just as they are or surround them in a block of ice. For the latter, stand the bottle in an empty milk carton or similar container and fill the container with water. Put the vodka and the water-filled container upright in the freezer until the water freezes. Then strip away the container and serve the vodka encased in the ice.