[Zimahl]

Vodka is a pretty unique beast with respect to alcohols. It's defined as 'colorless, odorless, and tasteless' alcohol. While the tasteless part is not necessarily true, other alcohols are specifically designed for taste, which means that the different tastes of wine, whiskey, tequila, etc., are important aspects and can require more time and cost to make - and thusly cost more.

Bottom shelf tequila is bad, no blind taste test is going to prove otherwise. However, if you are just going to be mixing it into a margarita to get people lubricated, it's probably fine.

Whiskey is generally just drank chilled over ice or stones (or nothing), so flavor matters greatly.

[corin_]

While that's what vodka is often thought of, most people (of people I know, 100%) who have tried vodka at least once will say that they dislike the taste of either some or all vodkas. And there are certainly vodkas that I like the taste of (though admittedly, not enough that it's a drink of choice for me). Most of the time that I drink vodka now it would be with an energy drink, and in that mix I can still like or dislike the vodka. But generally I won't care too much after a few drinks, and if I'm drinking vodka redbulls then chances are the first few drinks will flow quickly.

Whisky, like vodka, if mixed (say a whisky and coke) is very noticeable what the taste is - though I'm not a fan of this at all, as I consider it a waste of whisky if it's good, and an inferior drink to other mixers if it isn't.

Have to say that when drinking cocktails (as opposed to mixers) I've never paid too much attention to the specifics of the spirits in them.