Stolichnaya makes a reasonably cheap 100 ( and I believe 120 proof) vodka that you can get at most liquor stores.

What I buy it for is fixing pie and pastry crusts that crack. The alcohol evaporates in the oven, and it doesn't have enough water content to ruin your crust. Also it helps use up that bottle of 100 proof vodka sitting in your kitchen.

All the herbalists I know that make tinctures themselves use the "cheapest vodka they can find." Direct quote from more than one I know, work with, or have seen speak. No brand mentioned at all - only the cheapness.

I generally use teas and harvest botanicals for others to tincture so I'm not as experienced as others in the tincture department and will defer to them. But from what I've been taught, if you are using dry plant materials, 80 proof is just fine.

FataMorgana

I agree, I use 80 proof on most of my tinctures. I just use Orloff vodka, which is around $13 for a half gallon in our neck of the woods and the cheapest. I have not made a valerian tincture, as I prefer it in my teas, but 80 proof was perfectly fine with lemon balm.

Thank you very much!

Atleast in FL there is something called everclear. It is the highest proof alcohol available for drinking that I know of in FL the states. It's essentially the purest alcohol you can buy that agrees with the states laws, it's clear like vodka and stronger. Oh, it's cheep too.

Here is a link that might be useful: everclear

Any Vodka that says on the label it contains 50% alcohol, is 100 proof vodka and you can find lots and lots of them at any liquor store. Absolut, Stoli, and other brands, pick any according to how much you want to spend. Shouldn't be more than 30-35 $

The cheaper the vodka, and the lower the %, the more you can taste it in whatever you are making. Though I had been warned about that, I learned it from experience by making my own liquors, ESPECIALLY limoncello. For that, I'll use Everclear or a good 100 proof, in a pinch.

Cook's Illustrated did a taste test of cheap vodkas vs. expensive. They found that if you strain a cheap vodka through a coffee filter once or twice, they couldn't detect a difference in taste.

a couple web sites average 30$ + 10$ sh. I found that to be the price of Absolut in Liquor Collection located in Ward Whare House; then found a Eristoff at Times Supermarket for 15.99$ (Honolulu, Hawaii 96815)

Apparently people buy plain alcohol in liquor stores for punch, etc., and the liquor stores in PA sell it that way--but people are required to sign for it, because the concentration is so high it can be damaging if people don't use it properly.

That's the Everclear. Not legal everywhere.

Everclear is not legal here in NY State.

Taste as mentioned above, generally isn't an issue if making an herbal tincture. Many herbal tinctures taste pretty rude. Now if you are making a flavored liquor or something like vanilla extract where taste is key, then buying the "good stuff" is advised. I like to make vanilla extract with a good quality bourbon. Tasty.

Buy the cheapest vodka for your tinctures.

FataMorgana

I am having a flashback memory of Smirnoff Blue Label...at least the parts I do remember.

Smirnoff silver is 100 proof