Vodka is one of the most versatile liquors on earth. The neutral spirit adapts, shines on its own, and has a wonderful lightness. You can go sweet, spicy, bitter, savory, or sour with vodka. It’s also damn cheap for high-quality stuff thanks to the fact that there’s no barreling. That’s a win-win-win, right there.
The fact that vodka is all about distillation and not aging doesn’t mean that it’s all the same. It’s still worth asking “What’s the best vodka out there?” We have a few ideas but we wanted to hear from the people on this one, so we popped over to Ranker to find out which vodkas the masses are digging on right now.
With 38K votes on the matter, a clear list of 10 tasty vodkas emerged from the sloshed pile. The best part of the list, all of these bottles clock in at less than 30 bucks a pop. You can’t beat that price point. Vodka rules.
10. Svedka
Svedka is a quality “cheap” vodka. There’s not a whole lot going on here besides a peppery alcohol burn that gives way to an echo of sweetness. The sip ends with a little bit of bitterness. Our recommendation: use this as a mixer with heavy fruit or citrus.
9. Smirnoff
Smirnoff is surprisingly good for its price point. This grain and maize-fueled spirit has a very neutral taste with hints of pepper spice and cereal sweetness. This is a great shooter vodka and works in pretty much any highball or cocktail.
8. Finlandia
It’s hard to argue with Finlandia. The barley and glacial water mix create a very clean sip. There’s a little spiciness on the backend but, overall, this is just an easy drinking booze. Try it on the rocks, with soda, or in your next martini.
7. Chopin
Chopin is the potato vodka of every gluten-free drinkers’ dreams. The starch from the tuber brings a wholly new flavor profile to vodka with a savory edge. Think more MSG umami than salty. There’s a deep sense of earthiness at play here to that lets this sip shine. That savory nature makes this the perfect Bloody Mary base.
6. Stolichnaya
Stoli is a stone-cold classic from Russia. The barley and wheat grains come through followed by subtle notes of citrus. That gives way to a sharp, almost bittersweet ending. You can drink this stuff straight from the bottle, with your favorite soda, or mixed into one killer martini.
5. Tito’s Handmade
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUQIc9HjM_/
Austin’s Tito’s is a fantastic sipper. The maize booze has a clear sweetness from the corn coming through. It’s rustic and you feel echoes of corn husks. This is one of the easiest and most uniquely American vodkas you can score. Drink it with soda all day, baby.
4. Belvedere
Poland’s Belvedere is the vodka for the rye whiskey lover. That rye mash brings a real peppery spice to the drink that gives way to a balance of lemon zest and a flourish of sweetness on the end. Try this one on the rocks.
3. Absolut Vodka
Sweden’s Absolut Vodka may not be the most complex vodka on this list but it is one of the cleanest. The whispers of wheat come through here the most, adding a slight sweetness. The rest is clear spring water smoothness. This is a great mixing vodka to build a great cocktail on.
2. Ketel One
Ketel One is a nice sipping vodka. There’s a light peppery nature to this one that comes from big wheat notes. The vodka is super smooth and goes down almost too easily. This is a rad vodka on the rocks or in a martini.
1. Grey Goose
France’s Grey Goose is one of the smoothest vodkas out there, and it clocks in at under $30. There’s a refined sense of lemon zest and black pepper at play that never overpowers the neutrality. It’s easy with a nice dose of sophistication. Drink it neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a great cocktail.
