YOU'D THINK by now that nothing else could be done to vodka. After all, it's been distilled, bottled, branded, and flavored for hundreds of years by producers all over the world. But now comes Perfect 1864 Vodka. Don't let the name fool you: Perfect is still a relatively new kid on the booze block. The super-smooth vodka made its premiere in France in 2005 and arrived in Boston this past summer; the 1864 signifies the year that its producer, Grandes Distilleries Peureux de Fougerolles, began operating. (Peureux was best-known, before Perfect launched, for its sublime fruit eaux-de-vie.) And while we realize that high-end vodkas are a dime a dozen these days, this one stands out for the superior quality of its ingredients: it's distilled from wheat grown in Brie-Champagne, known for producing some of the best bread in the world; then it's mixed with spring water drawn from deep in the Vosges Mountains. The brand even goes so far as to put the wheat and water that make up the vodka through a barrage of tests to certify quality, and organizations including the French Agricultural Ministry, the French Department of Health, and the France Agency for Alcohol Control have their eyes on the process. It's the only vodka that's made using these standards, following the lead of other French products, such as wine, cognac, and Champagne. A liter sells for $38.99 at Clarendon Wine (563 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.266.6688); Perfect is also poured at McFadden's (148 State Street, Boston, 617.227.5100) and the Oak Room (Fairmont Copley Plaza, 138 St. James Avenue, Boston, 617.267.5300). Ask your favorite bartender to mix you up one of the brand's slew of signature cocktails, like the Perfect Storm (vodka, club soda, orange juice, lemon and lime garnish) or the Perfect 10 (vodka, raspberry liqueur, pineapple juice, pineapple-wedge garnish).
