Absinthe potent greenish spirit produced using anise, wormwood, and other botanicals. The use of absinthe was thought to cause convulsions, hallucinations, mental deterioration, and psychosis which create an extremely vile reputation. Everclear, like most high ABV spirits, is generally not drunk on its own but rather used in producing homemade liqueurs. This is an exceptionally delicate and well-balanced liquor that is produced in Poland as a family recipe.
- Spirytus literally means “alcohol” in Polish, and it is one of the purest distillations of commercially available booze that has ever flowed across the Earth.
- The strongest alcohol typically available for purchase is grain alcohol or neutral spirits, often distilled to extremely high proof levels, such as 190 proof (95% alcohol by volume).
- If you want to keep things classic, Smirnoff’s 750-milliliter red label bottle has an average price of $15 as of March 2024, so it won’t break the bank, either.
- Some drinks aren’t meant to be sipped straight, and Polmos Spirytus Rektyfikowany Vodka is one of them.
- Although it is a high-quality spirit, drinking this vodka neat or on the rocks is highly discouraged, as it burns like crazy.
What Are Top-Shelf Vodkas?
- Distilled five times for ultimate smoothness, it’s a little peppery and has a neutral aftertaste.
- This vodka is of a universal nature, and it works neat, on the rocks, as a shot, or in as a cocktail base.
- It’s extremely difficult to get 100 percent alcohol because 96 percent alcohol is the strongest concentration that can be distilled.
- “It has a beautiful natural taste that is light and crisp with a smooth warmth to finish it off,” says Fred Flynn of Wilmington, N.C.’s Manna.
- Before the final step, every bottle of vodka goes through a particle filter before it’s chilled and sold.
- Because of its overwhelming strength, the vodka should not be drunk neat, however, but used instead as a “float” in cocktails.
This super-premium vodka is impressively pure and smooth, with notes of vanilla, sage, white pepper, and cream. We considered numerous vodka brands and varieties when assembling this collection before whittling it down to the 20 options listed. We aimed to provide readers with a wide range of vodka brands to consider stocking in their home bar — no matter their personal preference or price range. As part of the larger Beam-Suntory family, it’s one of the many Japanese spirits that are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. Haku made its American debut in 2018, and we believe it’s a brand to keep an eye on.
Balkan 176 Vodka
This vodka also has nice peppery and vegetal flavors that flourish when paired with a savory martini or a Bloody Mary. Vodka wasn’t readily available in the US until about a century ago, when Smirnoff arrived and was introduced to the masses, according to The King of Vodka by Linda Himelstein. Smirnoff produced the vodka of choice for Russian royalty, before the Russian Revolution. Over time, Smirnoff rose to be the world’s best-selling vodka—and a pillar of the popular Moscow mule.
Popular Vodka Brands To Stock In Your Home Bar In 2024
Its price is very affordable, especially considering the quality of the vodka -$45 for a 750 ml. I must mention that there are also flavored vodkas, but they contain a lot of artificial colorings. However, many of them taste heavenly, so there will be some of those here too. On the other hand, a high-quality vodka doesn’t even have to be mixed, as it is delicious and primarily fruity when enjoyed with slow sipping. Vodka is known as one of the purest alcohols, as it is distilled at least three times.
Proof Basics
The finish is crisp and smooth, with a clean, slightly peppery aftertaste and a lingering sweet grain flavor. The vodka is smooth and slightly sweet on the palate, with cereal, vanilla and a slight spice that adds complexity. Betsy Andrews has been writing about wine and spirits for two decades. A long-time gin drinker, she first discovered how exciting vodka can be back in 2012 when she was working at Saveur magazine and edited a story on new American craft vodkas.
Available and affordable, you can slow sip this spirit, but you can also mix it in a cocktail or have it as a shot. This is a particular vodka intended for a particular audience when it comes to having it neat or on the rocks. Those who love sweeter drinks would call this bad vodka tasting, but for the bitter flavor-lovers, this vodka is a godsend. Mainly intended for shots and cocktails, there’s no harm sipping this vodka slowly but be prepared for a flavor and aroma roller-coaster. This vodka is of a universal strongest vodka in usa nature, and it works neat, on the rocks, as a shot, or in as a cocktail base.
The Highest Proof Spirits in the World You Can Actually Buy
The majority of plain vodkas—and almost all Russian vodkas—are created with wheat, while Polish vodka favors rye, and Finnish vodka goes for barley. When vodka is produced using something other than potato or cereal grain, like Ciroc, which is made using grapes, it must legally be declared on the bottle. The result is an impossibly smooth spirit with hints of pear, citrus, and honeysuckle.
Crystal Head’s additive-free offerings include vodkas made from both corn and wheat, as well as a line called Onyx that’s distilled from blue agave. Innovation is at the heart of this brand, and even its filtration system is unique as it filters some of its vodka using semi-precious crystals called Herkimer diamonds. We appreciate that Ketel One is nice enough to serve to people with sophisticated palates, yet approachable enough that you won’t feel intimidated by its price or reputation. Simply put, you won’t be disappointed with this brand the next time you trek to the liquor store to load up on vodka. While the flagship vodka makes an absolutely top-notch vesper martini, we suggest reaching for one of its single estate ryes for a luxurious treat.
