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Vodka is one of the most popular alcoholic drinks globally with its transparent appearance with a distinct taste after distillation.

Distilled vodka generally consists of 60 percent ethanol and 40 percent water. But with so many similarities between the many brands, it does beg the question what are the best Vodka brands? We will take a look at our ten favorites.

The three most common Vodka types are:

Plain vodka

Plain vodka is high in alcohol measuring 96.5 percent and lower quality vodka comes in at 95 percent alcohol.

The lack of flavor and strong aromas make vodka extremely popular for use in cocktails. It can also be used on its own without mixers required in cocktails.

Infused vodka

Infusing vodka is generally infused with fruits or herbs. The additional steps lengthen the creation process by around three weeks.

Unlike plain vodka, infused vodka has a strong flavor profile and a variety of colors.

Flavored vodka

Unlike infused vodka which undergoes a distilling process to include the taste, flavored vodka is generally made from plain vodka where colorants and flavor are added after the distilling process.

Crystal Head

Crystal Head might seem like an attention seeker at first glance with its rather unique bottle.

Actor Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander founded Crystal Head in September 2008 to produce a unique, ultra-premium vodka with no additives added. As creative people, Dan and John provide innovative ideas to create the additive-free drink.’

There are three recipes within the brand:

Original is crafted from Canadian corn while
Aurora is produced using English wheat
Onyx uses Blue Weber agave as a base product

It is not just gimmicky. The contents of the unique bottles are excellent with subtle notes of vanilla and just a hint of sweetness.

Crystal Head’s Original Vodka is crisp and silky Due to its uniqueness the price is on the upper end of the pricing spectrum selling between $50 and $60 for the standard Crystal Head.

Innovation in the distilling process is a unique filtration system filtering some of its vodka using semi-precious crystals called Herkimer diamonds.

The bottle was designed by both Aykroyd and Alexander with a creative spirit in mind and symbolizes life, reflecting power, and enlightenment

This is a vodka that can be enjoyed on the rocks or in a wide variety of cocktails.

Ketel One Vodka

Ketel one is a Dutch brand that has been appreciated since the late 1600s and is managed by the 10th and 11th legacy of generations of Nolet distillers.

The name stems from the coal-fired copper pot kettle (Ketel) that is still used in the distilling of this brand.

The texture of Ketel Vodka is a grainy sweetness and a plush, soft texture.

Ketel is priced well coming in at approximately $20 per 750 ml.

Grey Goose Vodka

Grey Goose is another luxury vodka brand specially made for the American spirit market.

This is another luxury brand that is made from winter cool wheat spring water from Picardy, France, and water from Gensac-La-Pallue. In the French tradition, Grey Goose uses only French-grown ingredients for its flavored variants.

It is well priced coming in at approximately $32 per 750 ml bottle.

Stolichnaya/ Stoli

The official name was Stolichnaya until early 2022 when the company went through a rebrand changing the name to the conversational name used by most clients, Stoli.

Stoli is distilled from wheat in Latvia. Although not a premium brand it still produces vodka with thorough standards and remarkable attention to detail.

You can find Stoli as a plain vodka or flavored with all the products offering an incredibly smooth and does not leave a burning aftertaste.

Stoli can easily be enjoyed on its own or in a variety of cocktails. Flavored Stoli offers a natural taste.

The pricing point of between $15 and $19 a bottle makes this an extremely well-priced vodka.

Skyy Vodka

Skyy Vodka is produced exclusively from wheat harvested in the USA.

Unlike most other vodkas that produce their own mash and ethanol, Skyy receives railroad tanks with processed ethanol where it is mixed with filtered and deionized water, and flavoring is added.

Similar to Absolut the final SKYY Vodka product is 40% ABV or 80 proof. However, this is not standard across the globe as Australia and New Zealand is 37.5% ABV or 75 Proof while in South Africa it is 43% ABV or 86 Proof.

Belvedere Vodka

Belvedere Vodka is a super-premium top-shelf vodka produced exclusively from Polska rye and purified water using a fire-driven distillation process.

Its super premium status will easily impress a party, irrespective of the financial and social standing of the host.

The distillation process represents 600 years of Polish Vodka-making tradition in one of the world’s longest continuously operating facilities, making vodka since 1910.

The end product is 80 proof containing 40% ABV. Belvedere is additives-free and certified kosher.

This vodka may be super premium but it is priced for consumption by everyone. The price is in the middle of the premium branded vodkas selling at around 30 for a 1,000 ML bottle.

Although Belvedere is an excellent vodka for use in cocktails where you want to emphasize the flavors, the pure number of flavors, finding the best flavor for every cocktail may require some substantial testing.

As Belvedere is the official vodka of the James Bond movies it is not surprising that it is frequently used in Martini’s – Shaken Not Stirred.

Beluga Vodka

Beluga Vodka has been around since 2002 and is renowned for being the best high-end vodka produced from 100% Siberian winter wheat.

There are a few distinct lines in the Beluga portfolio produced using a filtering process using quartz sand filtration for fresh, clean, and cold Siberian water, After Distillation Beluga Vodka is rested for 30 days to extract the maximum benefit and taste from the distilled product.

Although the Beluga Whale is an exceptional creature, Beluga Vodka is not named after it. It is named after the most sought-after and most expensive caviar.

Beluga Vodka is produced at the Mariinsk Distillery in western Siberia, Russia, using artesian water that is pushed to the surface by pressured rocks, creating the ultimate authentic taste.

Vodka doesn’t freeze and therefore you can store it in the freezer to provide you with a refreshing and authentic Russian beverage.

Beluga Noble offers notes of oatmeal, vanilla, and honey which are added after the distillation process.

The Beluga range of notable vodka includes

Noble
Celebration
Transatlantic
Allure
Gold Line
Beluga Epicure by Lalique

Absolut Vodka

Absolut Vodka is rated as the best overall vodka globally. It differentiates itself from most other vodkas due to the lack of added sugar contained in the final product.

This is one of the most distinguished vodkas that you will find. The premium taste is acquired through the use of authentic high-quality ingredients.

Unflavored Absolut Vodka is one of the cleanest vodkas available offering you a crisp, pure taste yet full-bodied and complex. However, there is more to the Absolut range of vodkas with a wide range of flavor variations.

The crude spirit produced in the distillation process passes through 4 columns designed to remove impurities to produce a spirit containing 96% ABV.

The last step in the process is adding water from Alhus to dilute the vodka to an alcohol content of 40% (80 proof).

Absolut Vodka is made from hardened winter wheat from Sweden and diluted with chilled well water from Alhus, Sweden which is below sea level.

Absolut Vodka can be consumed straight, mixed with water, or with any suitable mixer. It mixes well to produce quality cocktails.

The Absolut range of vodka includes: