In this article, we are going to discuss the 20 highest quality vodkas in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the global vodka market, the recent entrant in the vodka category, and the new vodka RTD in the market, and go directly to 5 Highest Quality Vodkas in the World.
Vodka has long since been a staple product of the liquor industry and while some other spirits experience peaks in popularity, vodka is forever. There is a growing argument between the Russians and Poles as to who invented the people’s favorite tipple, but historians agree that it originated somewhere around 1,400 AD in Northeastern Europe. Fast forward a few centuries and the popularity of vodka (derived from voda which means ‘water’) has spread around the globe.
With new distillation techniques brought from western Europe, the Slavic vodka makers were able to refine the alcoholic drink that would go on to become a trademark of their countries. Later on, the spirit arrived in America with humble beginnings, and it wasn’t until it was aggressively marketed as a versatile cocktail base that it started to become more popular.
Vodka-based RTD beverages are witnessing a huge increase in new product development, which is expected to drive the market. The all-natural, flavored segment is expected to witness the fastest growth rate, owing to the growing demand of premium flavored vodka, especially among the millennial population.
Recent Entrant in the Vodka Category:
The beer behemoth Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) has been making strides to enter the spirits category and vodka is no exception. Ab InBev pushed its Natural Light trademark brand into the vodka category and debuted three lemonade-flavored 30% ABV vodka expressions in 2021.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD) also announced the launch of D’YAVOL, a premium black-pearl filtered vodka brand, in India this summer, for which it partnered with Aryan Khan, the son of the uber-famous Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan. This is part of the Budweiser-maker’s D'yavol's Global Luxury Collective which it launched in December last year. The collective retails fashion products, beverages, as well as manages events.
Ready-to-drink beverages continue to make headlines as the fastest-growing alcohol beverage category. While malt-based RTDs still retain a 91% share by volume in the American RTD market, spirit-based RTDs grew by 51% in 2021, approximately double the growth of the wine-and malt-based categories. According to IWSR, the spirits-based RTDs are expected to grow at a CAGR of 33% in volume in the U.S. by 2025.
Keeping up with the trend, the French alcohol giant Pernod Ricard announced earlier this year that it is partnering with The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) to launch the Absolut Vodka & Sprite pre-mixed cocktail in select European countries in early 2024, including the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany. The packaging for the new 5% ABV RTD will feature both Absolut and Sprite’s trademarks and a zero-sugar Sprite option will also be available. In November last year, Pernod Ricard invested $22 million to install its first RTD canning line at the company’s plant in Arkansas.
It is worth mentioning that The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) also recently partnered with Brown-Forman to launch the quintessential classic Jack & Coke RTD, which made its U.S. debut in March this year in 12-oz. cans (7% ABV), and Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar also became available in May.
To collect data for this article, we referred to a number of sources, such as Liquor, VinePair, Men’s Journal, Reddit etc., looking for the Best Vodkas in the World. We picked vodkas that appeared at least thrice in these sources, assigned them a score based on their number of appearances, and ranked them accordingly.
When two vodkas had the same score, we ranked them based on their ratings on Drizly.
20. Smirnoff Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Founded in 1864, Smirnoff was the first vodka to use charcoal filtration in its distillation process. One of the best vodkas for cocktails, Smirnoff was acquired by International Distillers and Vintners in 1987, and then passed down to its subsequent owner, Diageo plc. Although it had its origins in Moscow, the brand is now produced in several countries, including the U.S., Canada, Italy, and others.
With its 28.1 million cases sold globally, Smirnoff Vodka is the #1 Selling Vodka in the World.
19. Svedka Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 3
Svedka is a Most Popular Liquor Brands in America that is a great choice for mixing cocktails, as its affordable price point makes it a great option for home bartenders on a budget. Svedka was acquired by Constellation Brands in 2007 in a deal worth $384 million.
Crafted in small batches using Harlen Wheatley’s one-of-a-kind micro-still and his unique wheat recipe, this artisanal vodka is distilled a total of 10 times, triple-filtered, and bottled at 82 proof.
Produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, Wheatley is owned by The Sazerac Company.
17. Nikka Coffey Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 4
With decades of experience in distilling white spirits but mostly whiskies, Nikka Whisky offers a Japanese vodka that is the fruit of the blend of a corn distillate and a malted barley distillate. Made using their Coffey stills, this high-end vodka is filtered through white birch charcoal to achieve its desired clarity and flavor profile.
16. Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 4
By combining the ancient Mongolian tradition of making alcohol from fermented milk, with the Northern European tradition of making high proof, clear, clean vodka, dairy farmer Jason Barber and artist Paul Archard were able to develop an innovative, unique, and superior tasting vodka, made entirely from the milk of cows.
Made in the United Kingdom, this remarkable spirit is the world’s first pure milk vodka, and has been available in the U.S. since 2016.
15. SKYY Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Skyy is one of the first vodka brands to pioneer an innovative, state-of-the-art, quadruple-distilled, triple filtration process. The Campari Group acquired the majority stake in Skyy Spirits LLC in 2002, in a deal worth $207.5 million.
With a price tag of only $11 at Walmart, SKYY is among the Best Vodkas for the Price in the market.
14. Żubrówka Wódka
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Żubrówka is a true icon of the vodka world. It has a rich heritage spanning 500 years and a taste derived from bison grass, which is harvested in the ancient woodlands of eastern Poland. The Bialystok distillery has been producing this iconic Polish vodka for about 50 years now.
It was reported in 2021 that the Maspex Wadowice Group acquired CEDC, a Polish subsidiary of the Russian ROUST group, in a deal worth $980.8 million. CEDC is the leader of the Polish vodka market and boasts a portfolio of leading brands, including Żubrówka and Soplica.
Due to its smooth and flavorsome nature, Żubrówka is one of the Best Vodkas to Drink Straight.
13. Finlandia Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Established in 1970, Finlandia is a leading vodka brand in Central and Eastern Europe with sales volume of 2.6 million 9L cases in 2022, the same sales figures it had in 2021.
The Brown-Forman Corporation announced in June that it had reached an agreement to sell its Finlandia vodka brand to Coca-Cola HBC AG for $220 million, and the sale closed in November.
12. Haku Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Haku is a premium Japanese vodka that is distilled from Hakumai – 100% pure Japanese white rice – to create 'Jyunpaku' – pure and brilliant vodka. Introduced by the House of Suntory in 2018, this top shelf craft vodka is carefully filtrated through bamboo charcoal for an unparalleled soft, round, and subtly sweet taste.
11. Chopin Family Reserve
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Chopin Family Reserve is the world's first rested, super-premium young potato vodka. After being carefully distilled to retain as much of the potatoes’ sweet earthiness as possible, the spirit is rested in 50-year-old oak barrels for two years, giving it time to mellow before being bottled by hand.
As Poland's last family owned vodka maker, Chopin proudly produces small-batch, hand-crafted vodka from its own distillery in the pristine countryside of eastern Poland.
At $129.99 a bottle, Chopin Family Reserve sits among the Most Expensive Vodkas in our list.
10. Cîroc Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 6
The essence of Cîroc Ultra-Premium Vodka comes from fine French grapes, which are distilled a fifth time at the historic Distillerie de Maison Villevert - Chevanceaux in the South of France.
This gluten-free vodka is often associated with luxury and is a favorite among celebrities and high-end bars and restaurants.
Like all Russian Standard vodkas, Russian Standard Platinum is made with hardy winter wheat grown on the Black Steppes of Russia and soft glacial waters of Lake Ladoga in Russia's frozen north. Produced by the Tatspirtprom Company in Kazan, this expression represents all Russian vodka production traditions – the trademark clear, smooth, and crispy taste that perfectly matches a rich and creamy mouthfeel.
8. Reyka Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 7
Introduced by William Grant & Sons in 2005, Reyka is an Icelandic vodka distilled from wheat and barley. It is also the world's first ‘green’ vodka brand, as it is made from glacial water and distilled using sustainable energy from geothermal heat.
Known for its Popular Scotch Brands, William Grant & Sons is the oldest family business in the whisky industry, and boasts distilling and bottling operations in Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, India, the US, and Mexico, with a team of over 2,600 employees at 48 global locations.
Reyka is a delightfully fresh expression and is a Great Vodka to Gift this holiday season.
7. Beluga Noble Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 7
First introduced in 2002, the refined and rich taste of Beluga Noble vodka is due to its unique composition, mainly due to malt spirit and the purest water from Siberian artesian wells.
Due to the sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Beluga Group decided to sell
the international rights to the Beluga super-premium vodka brand last year, while retaining the intellectual rights to the trademark in Russia. The Beluga Group is Russia’s largest alcohol company and operates five factories, including the Chugunov Sky ethanol plant.
6. Crystal Head Vodka
Insider Monkey Score: 7
Created for the SNL royalty Dan Aykroyd, Crystal Head is an ultra-premium, kosher-certified, gluten-free vodka made using Newfoundland water which is filtered through 500 million year old crystals called Herkimer diamonds. The signature bad-ass crystal skull bottle is made in Italy by Bruni Glass.
In honor of the Pride month in June this year, Crystal Head announced the launch of its limited-edition ‘Paint Your Pride’ bottle following the success of the rainbow bottle launched in 2020.
