It was the first Eagles home game of the 2012 – 2013 Season and the first Tailgate. The weather was perfect for the early afternoon game and of course, the morning tailgate. The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze which took some of the heat off of the bright Philly sun.
The parking lot was already half full when we pulled in at 9:30 and started setting up. We had decided on a “brunch” type menu of eggs, pork roll and sausage on our little grill, with Bloody Mary’s and Screwdrivers to start and finish along with our cigars. In the interest of “truth in drinking” I admit to using a mix for the Bloody Mary’s but fresh Orange Juice for the Screwdrivers. The key ingredient in both drinks, especially when tailgating, was, of course, the Vodka. For the Vodka, for the first time, I tried Platinum 7x. It’s from the Sazerac Company, and made in the US, with the 7x signifying that it was distilled seven times, leaving it a pure spirit. No flavoring, no taste, just plan, simple alcohol, as Vodka should be.
Again, in the interest of “truth in drinking”, my straight or sipping liquor of choice is Scotch, but I have been known on occasion to take a shot or two of ice cold Vodka. With the plastic (yes, plastic, so it is lighter to carry and there is no danger of it falling off the tailgate and breaking) bottle still frosty from the night in the freezer and the ride down in the ice chest, I took a shot. Admittedly, it wasn’t as smooth as Tito’s or Belvedere, but it didn’t burn either. At about $10.00 for a 750 ml bottle, it was also half to a third of the cost and still a very drinkable vodka straight up. It was definitely more than comparable to other low to moderate ($10 – $15 a bottle) Vodkas like Sky or Smirnoff or Svedka, and most of them are distilled at the most 5 times.
For the Bloody Mary mix and the Orange Juice, the Platinum 7x was a perfect mixer. The plastic bottle made it easy to handle and pour, and seemed to retain the chill. I personally never see the need or purpose in using a real premium Vodka for those drinks, but also don’t like to use anything that is too rough and burns. I later tried it at home, after the game, with some Tonic, and it made a very crisp and refreshing Vodka and Tonic to help relax, refresh and celebrate our first home game win.
As they say though, don’t totally take my word for it. Try it yourself. For the price, I honestly don’t think that you can go wrong.
