Marani Brands Inc. (MRIB)

[Matthew Berg]

I have tasted it. Posted my review a long time ago. I agree with Misanthrope. It's ok. Tastes like ethanol. Sort of funny aftertaste though and it does not mix well. It works well with Russians but makes perhaps the worst martini I've ever had. Tasted like a sweat sock. I guess skim milk, honey and vermouth are a bad combination. Tastes pretty funky with cranberry too.

Point is there is nowhere near the differentiation you are claiming between vodkas other than significantly flavored, e.g., Absolut Mandarin, and Marani is not in that category. Put Marani and four other grain 80 proof vodkas in a blind taste test and 99/100 people would shrug their shoulders and say they couldn't really tell much difference.

And news for you on the so called awards which are now older than some of the Marani bottles still sitting on shelves from 2008. They were pay-to-play awards like a Who's Who listing. MRIB bought those awards and then touted them as real competitive events. They also finished 17th in the only somewhat legitimate tasting but even that's like a Little League game. Everyone gets a medal and a tidbit for PR. There were 16 brands with ratings of silver or gold ahead of Marani.