When it comes to spirits, Vodka reigns supreme. The world's most popular liquor is one of the most versatile alcoholic drinks around and deciding which one suits your wants, likes, and needs can be difficult. You might be looking to sip some over rocks, use it as a mixer in a killer cocktail, or try something a bit different.
Many brands from countries such as Poland and Russia sell their products online and digging into the research could take a lifetime. That's why we've created this buying guide, designed to provide all the information you need to choose the right vodka. Then, we share the best available across Amazon, Tesco, Asda and Waitrose to help you find your perfect match!
Quick List - Top Vodkas
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Table of Contents
Before putting your hard-earned money into your next bottle of vodka, take a look at our advice to help ensure you make the best decision. In this guide we'll consider ingredients, special features, and much more.
For this Polish-born spirit, two base ingredients pretty much make up the whole bottle, with everything added to enhance or improve on the raw materials. That's why it's important to find out, if you can, what goes into your bottle of vodka.
Most vodka is created by fermenting sugary substances, usually grains or potatoes and sometimes fruit, or even milk! The ingredient used influences the quality of the drink, but there's more to it.
The most popular raw materials are potatoes and grains, with the former offering a neutral flavour for the ideal base for cocktails. While the latter is valued for its subtle sweetness and smooth taste – perfect on-the-rocks! Some brands throw curveballs with less traditional ingredients, which we've included on our list too.
Water plays a pivotal role in the production of vodka, most importantly during the distillation process, tempering the alcohol content from ethanol-like down to whichever level the brand chooses – usually 40% ABV. As water has such a big hand in the final drink, the source and quality of the H20 must be tip-top.
Many brands pride themselves on where their water calls home, so look into the brand story to find out. For example, one brand sources water from a deep well 500 feet beneath its bottling plant, and another pulls crystal clear spring water from its distillery grounds in Poland.
If you're searching for more high-quality spirits, then take a look at our Japanese whiskies.
The number of distillations is another factor that influences the final taste of the vodka. Once base ingredients are fermented, alcohol levels are usually only between 14-18% ABV. Higher alcohol content requires distillers to separate the alcohol from water, leaving undesirable compounds behind. More distillations equal a cleaner taste.
But, tons of distillations doesn't mean you're buying a superior product. The magical number sits at four distillations, with too many showing that the raw materials are substandard, needing the bad stuff filtered out.
Gin and tequila are some of our other favourite distilled spirits too!
Alcohol strengths vary a great deal and you need to look out for the ABV percentage, which is the standard measurement of alcoholic content. In the UK, vodka is within the 37% - 40% ABV range as standard.
if you fancy a stronger taste or prefer a more robust flavour, look for vodka containing a higher percentage, though they're tough to find. Likewise, it might be worth looking for a lower percentage if you don't want a bad headache the next day.
When it comes to taste, sometimes you need to kick it up a notch. There's a wide range of flavoured vodkas available, starting from simple fruits like green apple and blood orange, to favourites like toffee. Vodka carries flavour well, but you want it to match the named ingredient while avoiding unnatural and artificial tastes.
You've seen the giant bottles of Grey Goose filled with sparklers, but there are other wonderful designs ready to spruce up your party. You can find magnum-sized bottles and those in the shape of crystal skulls and pink diamonds but keep in mind these products can stretch the wallet more than the standard size.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Chase Potato Vodka | ![]() | A Homegrown, Punchy Winner | |
2 | Diageo Cîroc Mango Flavoured Vodka | ![]() | A Fruity and Flavoursome Tropical Delight | |
3 | Polmos Belvedere Magnum Plus Vodka | ![]() | Luxurious Taste, in a Bigger Size | |
4 | Russian Standard Russian Standard Vodka | ![]() | A Russian Mule-Worthy Value Vodka | |
5 | Pure Milk Vodka Black Cow Vodka | ![]() | A Vodka Made from Dorset Milk | |
6 | Pernod Ricard Absolut Vodka | ![]() | A Good Price for Mixers and Cocktails | |
7 | Smirnoff Red Label | ![]() | A Premium Spirit With an Exceptionally Pure Taste | |
8 | Grey Goose Original Vodka | ![]() | France's Finest Wheat Vodka | |
9 | CEDC International Zubrowka Bison Vodka | ![]() | Handpicked Bison Grass Infusion | |
10 | Scream Retail Thunder Toffee Vodka | ![]() | A Sweet and Creamy Vodka |
We’d be remiss to leave out one of the UK's tastiest homegrown vodkas. Victorious in 2010's best vodka in the world competition, it's is brewed by makers of Tyrrells crisps. British potatoes are distilled four times in copper batch pots, then distilled twice more before tempering the alcohol with locally sourced water.
This premium vodka packs a little more punch than others like Grey Goose, so if you’re looking for conventional neutral flavours you might want to look elsewhere. However, we believe for price and quality, Chase Vodka stands out as the best of the bunch.
Ciroc does things differently from most vodka brands included on our top 10 list. Rather than potato or wheat as a base ingredient, this rich-tasting spirit is distilled from French grapes. Infused with sweet mango and other flavours, it delivers a smooth and fruity finish.
If your preference lies on the flavoured side of vodka, then Ciroc wins the battle of the best. Mango, Pineapple, and Red Berry are just three of the many choices available online. This citrusy product goes great on its own over ice, or as part of a glorious cocktail.
Belvedere is synonymous with luxury and represents the apex of traditional vodka making. Created from Polish Dankowskie Rye, it's quadruple distilled then diluted with water from Belvedere's artisan wells - this spirit is full of flavour and texture.
We've recommended the magnum bottle, which costs a pretty penny but gives you more bang for your buck. There's also a smaller size available if you don't fancy the big bottle. You're bound to impress your guests with this party piece and the vodka is top-notch. Sip with a little water and a squirt of lemon or lime juice.
For the only Russian vodka on the list we’ve gone with Russian Standard, and for good reason. As one of the cheapest quality spirits on the market, it’s real value for money.
Experience gently toasted notes coupled with a sweetness that compliments the wheat flavour. It might not be premium but it’s as close as you’ll get without loosening the purse strings a little more. Kick it up a notch with a Moscow Mule served with spicy ginger beer and a slice of lime.
Sometimes standard doesn’t tick all the right boxes, but vodka made entirely from milk might just do it. On the West Coast of Dorset, grass-grazing cows are milked, and the liquid is separated. The whey is then fermented into a special milk beer, which is distilled then triple filtered into this cool vodka.
When you sip this drink neat, anticipate a little burn, and don’t expect to taste milk. You’ll get a sweet flavour, hints of vanilla and a creamy finish. If you love espresso martinis, this might just be the vodka for you.
What kind of top 10 list would this be without Absolut? Two vodkas run it close as the best of the ‘common’ bunch, but Absolut just pips Smirnoff to the finish line. As the base to many cocktails, this brand produces multitudes of flavours, but we’re sticking with the standard vodka.
It’s made from water pulled from a deep well in Åhus, Sweden, and combined with winter wheat grown in fields of the same region. Distilled an ‘infinite’ amount of times, this clean-tasting spirit works perfectly as a mixer. Get imaginative with your flavours or look up some tasty cocktails online to enjoy to the max.
Of course, there cannot be a discussion on vodkas without mention of the number one best-selling premium vodka brand in the world. Made from a blend of different grains, this triple distilled spirit is ten times filtered through seven columns of environmentally sustainable charcoal.
More than a novelty, this vodka tastes great and could give your friends a smile when given as a gift. It's also great to keep for yourself, to put in a prime position on your home bar, ready and waiting to spark conversation. For an ice-cold and refreshing shot, pour straight from the freezer into a glass.
Where brands source their products plays a big role in why many people choose to buy a product. If that's you, then learning that this premium French vodka is made from just French winter wheat and spring water should ensure it ends up in your basket.
It contains fine ingredients, a delicious taste, and it costs slightly more than other vodkas. But, high-quality single-origin ingredients make it worthwhile. Known for its smooth taste, enjoy this vodka neat, chilled on the rocks or go the extra mile and mix a martini – shaken or stirred.
One of the most unique vodkas on the market derives its taste of the wild from handpicked bison grass, plucked from a Polish forest. Each bottle of this 100% grain vodka contains a single blade of bison grass, which delivers a herbal, sweet, and natural flavour.
Product descriptions describe the taste as clean and smooth, but its distinctive taste may not float everybody’s boat. If you fancy doing as the Polish do, grab a glass, add some chopped apples and throw in some apple juice for a delicious beverage.
This award-winning vodka hits the right spot if you’re looking for a bit of sweetness to temper the kick. It’s a mix of triple distilled grain vodka and natural toffee syrup, made from pure melted sugar cane. Best served over ice, this affordable drink offers a subtle taste of toffee without sacrificing the spirit's flavour.
We recommend this drink for its warm and creamy combination, while its low alcohol content makes it the perfect option for people who struggle with the strength and aftertaste of usual vodkas. However, without a sweet tooth, you might find it a little sickly.
Far more goes into choosing the right vodka than we could have imagined. Hopefully we've parachuted you to safety! Whether you're sitting down after a hard days work, partying with your friends or sharing a moment with your partner, enjoy every sip and every moment. You deserve it!
No. 1: Chase |Potato Vodka
No. 2: Diageo|Cîroc Mango Flavoured Vodka
No. 3: Polmos|Belvedere Magnum Plus Vodka
No. 4: Russian Standard|Russian Standard Vodka
No. 5: Pure Milk Vodka|Black Cow Vodka
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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