Friday

I know TDE is a reward in itself: the witticisms, whimsy, erudition, humility.

But once in awhile, I like to give TDE a tangle benefit. Today is that day.

I learned about the vodka pictured above from a friend who used to distill and sell his own vodka. His vodka won the silver medal a few years back in a tasting competition. The vodka above took the "double gold." Granted, I don't know what "double gold" means, but I'm led to believe only the best vodkas win a medal at all, so a "double gold" is pretty impressive.

It is now available at Costco. The price: $27 for a half gallon.

For those hyper-sensitive to gluten, you're covered: it's made from corn.

For those hyper-sensitive to big ag, you're covered: it's all organic. (My friend knows the owner of the company, and he assured me the owner takes the organic label very seriously.)

For those hyper-sensitive to bad taste, you're covered: it's good. A friend picked me up two half gallons earlier this week and I test drove it last night.

As a practical matter, I mix my vodka with tonic and lime, so I don't notice a big difference in vodkas, but it definitely tasted good last night. So next time you're at Costco and looking for a good buy on liquor . . .

Now I'm just waiting for my daughter to come home from Ann Arbor with a few bottles of their new "Jail House Gin." It's supposedly a cost-effective knock-off of Hendrick's gin (less juniper, more other flavors).