Russian Life National Vodka Tasting Panel

Russian Life magazine, the 50-year-old magazine of Russian culture, history, travel, together with Vodkaphiles has created a National Vodka Tasting Panel. This panel is comprised of qualified experts and tasters and its members shall taste new and unusual vodkas, both flavored and unflavored, from around the world. Watch here for postings of our reviews.

Each vodka is rated in non-blind tastings on a scale of 1-100, based on the average scores given by our panel members. The 100-point scale is comprised of:


Members of the Russian Life Vodka Tasting Panel

Darra Goldstein
 Darra is Food Editor of Russian Life magazine, author of the cookbooks A Taste of Russia, The Georgian Feast, and The Winter Vegetarian, and Editor of the forthcoming quarterly Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture. She is Professor of Russian at Williams College and is widely considered to be a leading authority on Russian cooking and culinary arts.

Christine Graham
 Christine is one of the founders of Winemouse.com, a new online resource on fine wines, premium spirits and food related travel. Previously, for ten years, she was Editor in Chief and Publisher of Underground Wine Journal and Rarities. She has been tasting and collecting wines for 25 years and is a member of the American Institute of Wine and Food.

Moira Hodgson
 Moira is restaurant critic for The New York Observer and a consultant for the Russian Tea Room and Tavern on the Green.

Sue Huffman
 Sue was one of the founders of TVFN (Food Network), is a past president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and most recently served as Director of Marketing for the French Culinary Institute.

Geoff Nicoll
 Geoff is Director of Merchandising for Beer, Wine and Spirits for Bristol Farms, a 20-year-old, 14-store gourmet food chain in Southern California. Geoff has over 15 years experience in the retail side of beer, wine and spirits sales.

Paul Richardson
 Paul is Publisher and US Editor of Russian Life magazine. He has been involved in business and publishing in Russia since 1989.

Richard Walker
 Richard is a lawyer who has shepherded the expansion of the Russian Arts Foundation since its founding in 1992. He has worked closely with the wine industry in the US and Europe to develop a series of professional tastings of fine wines that have benefited Russian charitable causes.