1) One of the large producers for Safeway and Lucky stores simply add distilled water to that 95% alcohol to bring it down to 80 proof.
2) The owners of that company were my neighbors in San Jose, CA. One night we all got together with several vodka "experts" for a blind taste test. Can't remember all the brands we used against the Safeway, however there were at least 8 or 9. In every case they picked the $3.99 bottle as the winner. Don't know exactly why but my thoughts were that the Safeway brand had not been flavored in any way.
An interesting side note: That same company opened a new distribution center in San Francisco and produced a new brand called Skyy Vodka. Exact same blend as the $3.99 stuff.
I enjoy Kamchatka as much as any of the high ends.
hehe
Fuel ethanol costs around $2.00-2.50 per GALLON to produce.
Add taxes around $25.00 per gallon for 95% alcohol for drinking and it’s easy to figure the bottom price for legal booze.
The idea that expensive vodka has some kind of expensive filtering that justifies the cost is just B.S. They may add something to the ethanol though.