From bloody marys to classic martinis and cosmos, these are the best vodkas to stock your bar with.
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Vodka has always lived with the double-edged sword of its mild flavor profile. One the one hand, it's ideal for mixing because, when compared to spirits like gin or whiskey, its profile lets other flavors shine, adding a kick without overwhelming the flavor notes of a cocktail. One the other hand, it's long been perceived as, well, bland. A way to add alcohol content without adding flavor. But we're in a new era of vodka sipping, and deservedly so, so it's time to let go of some of those preconceptions.
"Vodka is underrated because people think of vodka only in one way: flavorless. What people don't think about is how it can balance bolder flavors in cocktails," says James Beard Award-nominee Alex Barbatsis, Head Bartended of The Whistler in Chicago. "Vodka is great to pair with sherry, bitters, and muddle fruits and vegetables, like peppery nasturtium flowers or bright berries. Some people see vodka in a cocktail on a menu and pass on it because they think it's not cool or they only like 'bold flavors,' when in fact they are passing up some really interesting combinations."
So if you're looking to expand your vodka vocabulary, (or just stock up on the do-it-all spirit) these are the bottles that deserve a place of honor on your bar cart.
While the great debate over who really invented vodka (the Polish or the Russians) rages on, this 40% ABV Polish entry certainly deserves a spot in your freezer. Crafted from Dankowskie Gold rye and quadruple distilled, this ultra-premium vodka is the definition of the word "smooth."
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Founded in Russia in 1864, this vodka (40% ABV) remains the top world's top seller for its easy-drinking mouthfeel and neutral flavor profile (it's triple distilled and filtered ten times) that lets it pair effortlessly in any cocktail. If you're looking for a do-it-all vodka that will never let you down, this bottle can't be beat.
Potato remains one of the classics of the style, and this Polish version (40% ABV) puts an elegant twist on it that's perfect for neat sipping. "It is distilled from 'summer potatoes,' which are potatoes that are harvested in July, about three months earlier than usual," says Chopin Vodka founder and CEO Tad Dorda. "These summer potatoes are small and have not yet developed skin, they have a brighter and greener flavor profile and have not yet acquired the earthiness of an autumn potato. We then rest the liquid for two years in fifty-year-old Polish oak barrels, which gives the vodka a very mellow yet full flavor profile."
Made with French winter wheat and water from the Cognac region, this French vodka (40% ABV) was one of the first super-premium vodkas ever to hit the market. With its toasty notes and hints of spice combine with a creamy finish, it's easy to see why it remains a classic.
While you may not think of a mainstay brand like Sweden's Absolut as coming with a locally-sourced pedigree, the brand works to craft everything from the wheat and water that goes into the distillation to the glass bottles it packages in from around its home base in southern Sweden. Their ultra-luxe Elyx (42.3% ABV) range is even sourced from grains from a single estate and manually distilled in a vintage copper still to create an extra-smooth spirit that's perfect for martinis and other vodka-forward cocktail applications.
"Karlsson's Gold is a favorite potato vodka of mine because it has big peppery notes that tastes great as a neat sipper on the rocks," says Barbatsis. The Swedish vodka (40% ABV) makes in impact with flavor, as well as its smooth mouthfeel.
Inspired by three centuries of Dutch family distilling tradition, this wheat vodka (40% ABV) is created using a combination of modern column distillation and the coal-fired copper stills for which the brand is named. A hint of citrus and just a touch of sweetness lead to a long finish that's a match for any number of classic vodka cocktails.
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Distilled from local, organic corn, this female-founded, New York-based distillery's craft vodka is bottled at 88 proof, making it more robust than the average vodka on the market, with a smooth, faintly sweet finish that pairs well with cocktails.
This California vodka (40% ABV, distilled in a converted WWII-era aircraft hangar—thus the name) is made using a blend of wine grapes and Midwestern grain for a smooth spirit with hints of fruit on the palate and florals on the nose which make it a particularly good pairing for sweeter cocktails.
Crafted in Austin, in Texas's first legal distillery since Prohibition, this corn-based vodka (40% ABV) uses the classic pot still method — a rarity on the vodka scene. The flavor is slightly sweet with a black pepper note that balances things out whether you're craving a cocktail that's on the sweet side or skews savory.
Potatoes and wheat may be some of the most common vodka sources, but they're far from alone. Take, for example, this Japanese vodka (40% ABV), made from 100% white Japanese rice and bamboo charcoal filtered for a uniquely light, fresh flavor.
Looking for a vodka that's the bees knees? This Vermont bottle (40% ABV) is crafted entirely from raw honey that lends it a subtle sweetness and a delicate floral quality that makes it a natural for fruit-based cocktails.
10 times distilled and 8 times filtered, this corn-based vodka (40% ABV) out of Austin, Texas has become a fan-favorite for its smooth quality. For those seeking flavors, the brand has also gained acclaim for their cornucopia of Southern-inflected flavors made with real fruit juices and natural ingredients.
If you keep your diet organic and GMO-free, why wouldn't you want your bar cart that way too? It's a little bit easier with this Minnesota-made vodka (40% ABV), which is not only crafted from organic corn grown without herbicides or pesticides, but will taste delicious in all of your cocktails.
A wine lovers vodka. Distilled with pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, the wine from which is aged for six months in oak barrels, this vodka (40% ABV) from Burgundy has a surprisingly aromatic character that's far from the bland reputation of some vodkas.
Made in California, this certified organic, small-batch vodka(40% ABV) is distilled from American sugarcane that lend it gentle notes of vanilla and citrus and a silky mouthfeel.
Despite vodka's reputation for neutrality, there's plenty of flavor variation in bottles of vodka. "Just as different grapes yield different wines with vastly different tastes, or different mash bills distinct whiskies, the raw ingredients that are distilled into vodka are the single biggest determinant of what that vodka will taste like," say Dorda. Rye tends to make for a spicier profile with a peppery bite, while potatoes can lend vodka an earthy or even creamy flavors, and wheat and corn tend to make for the most mild, neutrally flavored spirits.
Another factor to consider, says Barbatsis, is texture. "Some vodka has a silkier texture, like potato-based vodkas. Those are great in martinis and stirred cocktails, but I wouldn't necessarily reach for potato vodka for a bloody mary."
Both emphasize the importance of thinking about the application when choosing your vodka. Consider potato vodka for straight sipping, dry martinis, or any spirit vodka cocktail, while rye's spice can add heft and contrast to citrusy cocktails or ones with bitter notes like an espresso martini. Look to more neutral wheat and corn-based vodka for lighter, sweeter cocktails (think: cosmo or lemon drop.)
Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails.
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