Vodka is a paradoxical spirit. It leads spirit sales in America in terms of volume, and has done so for the last 40 years. Yet it holds none of the cultural cachet of whiskey or tequila. Browse liquor store shelves and you’ll discover more flavored iterations than all other spirits categories combined. But when it comes to judging quality, we instead base our opinions of a bottle on its lack of flavor.
In recent years, that last factor has changed. Fueled by craft producers turning to new base ingredients, and global brands attempting to showcase terroir in their distillates, “flavor” and “flavored” now hold two very different definitions in vodka. Even the TTB now recognizes that vodka can exhibit character.
Not all brands are going down this route, it should be noted. The best bottles currently available fall into two camps: vodkas that subtly highlight the profile of their base ingredients, and indeed show “distinctive character,” and vodkas produced with a truly neutral profile. In the case of the latter, the leading examples not only arrive without aromas or flavors from their base distillates, but provide the enjoyable buzz of alcohol without leaving a hint of ethanol on the nose or palate.
No matter the camp you prefer, the category has come a long way in recent years. Here are the 25 best vodkas to drink right now.
Table Of Contents
The Best Vodkas Under $25
Wódka Vodka
A light, crisp Polish vodka, Wódka is made from a rye base that’s distilled five times before the spirit is twice charcoal filtered. It has a yeasty, bready profile, and white peppery finish. If your ideal vodka is lithe, clean, and flavorless, Wódka is for you.
Average price: $18
Rating: 91
Watershed Distillery Vodka
This Ohio craft vodka is produced using a mix of corn and apples. The finished distillate serves a bright, mineral-driven nose, and sweet, fruity palate. For enjoyable Martinis that are easy on the wallet, serve with a lemon twist to highlight its citrusy finish.
Average price: $20
Rating: 92
Helix7 Vodka
Like a tightly bound DNA helix, two ingredients come together seamlessly in this impressive vodka. The French wheat-based spirit delivers hints of fruit and flowers, while the low-mineral-content Icelandic water used for proofing balances the palate and brings a crisp finish.
Average price: $20
Rating: 91
Reyka Vodka
This vodka takes full advantage of Iceland’s glacial spring water and volcanic rocks (used for filtration), and arrives impeccably clean on the palate. While neutral in character, its quality still shines in an inextricable though enjoyable manner.
Average price: $20
Rating: 91
The Best Vodkas Under $50
Broken Shed Vodka
Distilled from whey protein, this New Zealand vodka is neutral and well balanced, with a clean, minerally finish. This is another bottle that succeeds by showing a complete lack of scent and taste of alcohol.
Average price: $25
Rating: 91
Ketel One Vodka
This column- and pot-distilled wheat vodka charms with a rounded, balanced profile. Each sip coats the palate with soft, silky texture before a gently sweet finish rounds things off with a smile.
Average price: $25
Rating: 91
LiV Vodka Standard Edition
Triple distilled from 100 percent Long-Island-grown corn, this New York state craft vodka is also bottled without chill filtration (a detail more common in whiskey production). It has a sweet, rounded character to the nose, and subtle personality on the palate, which finishes with a peppery kick.
Average price: $25 (for 1 liter)
Rating: 92
Haku Vodka
Distilled from rice, the grain’s distinctive character immediately stands out in this fine Japanese vodka, before delicate floral flavors excite the taste buds. Enjoy mixed with sake in a dry Martini.
Average price: $28
Rating: 93
Du Nord Social Spirits Foundation Vodka
From Minneapolis’s Black-owned Du Nord Social Spirits, this neutral-tasting vodka is all about texture, with a rich mouthfeel and velvety finish. Its clean profile makes it a versatile pick, while proceeds from bottle sales go toward the Du Nord Foundation.
Average price: $29
Rating: 91
Belvedere Organic Vodka
This Polish rye vodka begins with a glacial-like mineral quality before the peppery bite of cereal grain and booze peek out on the palate. Mix in an ice-cold Martini.
Average price: $30
Rating: 92
Hanson of Sonoma Organic Vodka
A grape-based vodka, Hanson of Sonoma sees seven runs in the still and five filtrations before bottling. Despite this, much of the character of grapes is maintained. It kicks off with strong floral and candy aromas, before a sweet finish rounds out the silky palate.
Average price: $30
Rating: 91
Purity Distillery Connoisseur 51 Reserve Vodka
The 51 mentioned in this spirit’s name refers to the number of distillations it undergoes. While increasing the number of distillations typically leads to spirits with less character, this unfiltered vodka arrives with a surprising amount of sweet, subtly fruity character. Mix in highballs and Martinis served with a grapefruit twist.
Average price: $30
Rating: 94
Thinking Tree Spirits Main Stage Vodka
Produced using Pacific Northwest non-GMO wheat, this craft vodka is bright and clean, with a slight creaminess and viscosity to the palate. Hints of wet-rock minerality lead onto a pleasant, lengthy finish.
Average price: $30
Rating: 93
St. George Spirits All Purpose Vodka
Bartlett pears provide the initial base for this sipping vodka, with non-GMO neutral grain spirit blended with the distillate prior to proofing. The grain spirit takes lead on the nose, while the palate delivers a whisper of eau de vie and luxurious texture.
Average price: $30
Rating: 94
Castle & Key Sacred Spring Vodka
Produced using the same mash bill as the distillery’s bourbon (73 percent corn, 10 percent rye, and 17 percent malted barley), this vodka shows sweet and spicy grain character. Hints of candy and flowers provide subtle layers, and set this bottling apart as a quality mixing spirit.
Average price: $31
Rating: 92
Supergay Spirits Vodka
Another vodka that gives back, Supergay donates a percentage of the profits from every bottle sold to organizations that benefit the LGBTQ+ community. Produced in New York using 100 percent organic corn, its profile is lithe and clean, offering a blank canvas for cocktail creation.
Average price: $31
Rating: 91
Spirit Works Distillery Vodka
Organic red winter wheat grown in the Sacramento Valley provides the base for this subtly sweet vodka. There’s an intensity and depth to the palate that ensures its gentle profile won’t get lost in cocktails, though neither will it command all the attention. Start with Lemon Drops and Cosmopolitans.
Average price: $36
Rating: 94
Beattie’s Distillers Potato Vodka
While we often look north of the border for fine rye-based distillates, this Canadian potato vodka is absolutely stellar. The nose is fairly neutral but the palate is luxuriously soft and rounded, with hints of nuts and cracked pepper emerging on the finish. Freezer Martinis are a worthy destination for this spirit.
Average price: $39
Rating: 93
Spearhead Spirits Vusa Vodka
From South Africa, this is the first vodka we’ve come across that’s distilled from fresh sugar cane — all of which is sourced from within 50 miles of the distillery. Its profile is earthy, sweet, and almost botanical in nature, with a rich depth to the palate and lightly spicy finish. This is an exciting and unique vodka.
Average price: $44
Rating: 94
Nikka Coffey Vodka
From Japan’s famed Nikka Whisky Distilling Co., just like the brand’s gin, this vodka pays homage to two unique coffey stills the distillery imported from Scotland back in the ‘60s. It has a grainy, savory profile, which is cut by impromptu bursts of tart citrus notes.
Average price: $44
Rating: 92
Reisetbauer Axberg Vodka
Austria’s Hans Reisetbauer is better known for fruit-based distillates — in this case, world-class fruit and vegetable eaux de vie — but also offers an exceptional wheat vodka. Floral, perfumed, and moderately fruity on the nose, the palate captivates with rich, velvety texture, and leaves a lasting impression on the finish.
Average price: $48
Rating: 94
The Best Vodkas Under $100
Arbikie Nàdar Vodka
Scotland’s Arbikie distillery has gained international recognition for producing climate-positive spirits, including this green-pea-based vodka. There’s a temptation to describe it as more of a pea eau de vie, given the sheer intensity of earthy, green, savory aromas and flavors that carry through from the base ingredients. This is definitely one for spirits geeks, and better served on the rocks than mixed with soda in a highball.
Average price: $50
Rating: 94
Barr Hill Vodka
Distilled from raw Vermont honey, this vodka has a distinctive nose: It’s floral, but not sweet, with a surprisingly salty undertone. The palate has great body and texture, but still feels lively. With so much character, all this vodka needs is a splash of soda, a handful of ice cubes, and a juicy lemon or lime wedge.
Average price: $55
Rating: 93
Jean Marc XO Vodka
This enjoyable French wheat vodka delights with its poise and grace. Fresh fruit and white flowers perform an intricate dance on the nose and work their way through to the finish. This classy spirit is entirely befitting of its flashy packaging.
Average price: $60
Rating: 94
The Best Vodkas Over $100
Chopin Vodka Family Reserve
Is it a little extra to spend over $100 on a bottle of vodka? Perhaps, but value and affordability are subjective, and should you be looking to splurge on a bottle, this is the one. Made using young potatoes grown on the Chopin distillery estate, the spirit rests for two years in 50-year-old Polish oak barrels before being bottled by hand. While it shows no color nor influence of wood, the profile is notably harmonious with hints of fruit emerging on the nose and an intense palate that sets up an exceedingly lengthy finish.
Average price: $130
Rating: 94
FAQ
What is vodka made of?
No set regulations govern the base ingredients for vodka’s production. It can therefore be distilled from any agricultural product containing sugar or starch. Most vodkas are distilled from rice, corn, wheat, or potatoes.
What is the most popular vodka in the US?
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is the most popular vodka in the U.S.
What is the most popular vodka in the world?
Smirnoff is the most popular vodka in the world.
What makes a vodka smooth?
Vodka brands often claim the use of spring or glacier water can give the spirit a smooth, clean-tasting vodka.
