Prosecco marries with richly spiced mulled cider and a splash of vodka in this seasonal take on the classic Bellini served at the now-closed Caffè Storico in New York City. While the original recipe called for a fig-flavored vodka such as Figenza, regular vodka works just as well in this fall cocktail.

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This blush-colored riff on one of James Bond’s favorite drinks gets its lovely hue—and kicked-up flavor—from hibiscus rose bitters. The lightly sweet, subtly floral extract plays beautifully with the traditional ingredients featured in a classic Vesper Martini: gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc.

Featured in the March 2011 issue.

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During the 1980s and ‘90s craft cocktail revival, Dick Bradsell was a bar consultant working in the U.K., where he contributed a few of the era’s most influential cocktails to the modern bartender’s repertoire. Most notable among them: the classic espresso martini. Bradsell originally served the drink, which he called the “vodka espresso,” on the rocks. I suggest trying the drink both up and on ice to see which you prefer.

Featured in: “How to Add Coffee to Your Cocktails.”

Optional Variations:

Sweetness: if you prefer a sweeter build, add ¼– ½ ounce simple syrup.
Spirit: Try swapping out the vodka for tequila, rum, Cognac, or even gin. 
Balance: If you like, add a few drops of a fourth ingredient for bitterness or brightness, such as an amaro or fruit liqueur.

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Over the last few years, as craft bars have increasingly sought to revive easy and approachable cocktails associated with retro trends harkening back to the Disco Era, the over-the-top 1990s, and even dive bars, many drinks that were once shunned by such “serious” establishments are now being thoughtfully reconsidered. Taking a somewhat cleaner, sleeker form, these nostalgic serves often feature premium spirits and other specialty ingredients and are assembled using more from-scratch preparation techniques. This cinnamon-scented apple martini recipe is my own reinterpretation of the candy-sweet classic appletini. Be sure to seek out an unsweetened apple brandy such as Calvados—I like Lemorton—or a premium American brand like Laird’s. (If you like a sweeter drink, add more toasted cinnamon syrup to taste.)

Stop Hating On the Appletini

Get the recipe >

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The classic martini endures for many reasons, not least among them the drink’s simplicity. The textbook formula includes just two ingredients: dry vermouth, and either gin or vodka, with proportions and garnishes to be easily personalized to the drinker’s tastes. Apart from sharing a similarly high-octane ABV, the rainbow of colorful and candy-sweet ‘tinis that have emerged since the minimal version’s birth bears little resemblance to their 19th-century brethren. That said, a few of these unorthodox variations—in particular, the appletini—have earned their own place in classic cocktail canon.

In the summer of 1997, Los Angeles bartender Adam Karsten invented a sweet-tart apple drink for a now-shuttered West Hollywood martini bar called Lola’s. He named the drink, which was an immediate hit, the “Adam’s Apple.” Eventually, Lola’s just started calling it the apple martini, and as bars and restaurants around the globe adopted the simple vodka-and-sour-apple-schnapps mixture as their own, the name was simplified further to the appletini we know and love (or love to hate) today.

There is certainly a “classic appletini recipe,” but the door is open for all manner of variations. Over time, and especially over the past five years, craft bartenders have endeavored to reimagine the drink, updating it with lighter, brighter, higher-quality ingredients. The moral of the story? A classic serve—be it a traditional martini or its apple-y offspring—endures numerous iterations as trends and tastes change. But the refreshing (and boozy) sentiment remains the same.

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As with many cocktails, the origins of the cosmopolitan recipe are the subject of much dispute. Some spirits historians and armchair aficionados claim the drink originated in a beachside Florida bar. Others credit Dale DeGroff, the original chief bartender at New York City’s legendary Rainbow Room. But by and large, most industry pros acknowledge Toby Cecchini as the inventor of the drink as we know it today. 

As his inspiration, Cecchini cites a pink vodka-based drink with triple sec and grenadine that was popular in San Francisco gay bars in the 1980s. While working as a bartender at Manhattan’s Odeon in 1988, the New York bartender reimagined the Californian recipe with premium citrus flavored vodka, Cointreau, and a splash of cranberry. Not long after, there was no question that the Cosmo had become the “It Girl” Drink of the 1990s. The distinction was further cemented by its prominent role in the nightlife escapades of the original Sex and the City cast, who carried the pink drink squarely into the decade’s cultural zeitgeist. And while the cosmopolitan experienced a slight dip in cachet when the retro, bitters-and-whiskey-driven cocktail movement exploded in the aughts, a glimmer of cosmo nostalgia seems to have emerged. Deb Perelman likes them, and Ina Garten does, too.

In fact, the cosmo takes its cue from the similarly sweet-tart sidecar, while using dive bar staples—vodka and cranberry—in place of the fancier Cognac, making for a more accessible and quaffable serve. This latter characteristic is part of the drink’s appeal as well as its primary danger: it’s far too easy to knock back two or even three of them if you are not paying attention. But I argue that the original recipe is no less worthy of a place in the craft cocktail canon. Cecchini’s original decision to use Cointreau—a premium French orange liqueur—over well triple sec elevates the recipe, placing it firmly in the craft cocktail realm while still welcoming the everyday drinker to the party.

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Vodka has long held a bad reputation among bartenders and discerning drinkers. After all, vodka is by definition a “flavorless, odorless spirit”—seemingly best for shooting and spiking cloyingly sweet drinks. So when it comes to craft cocktails, what does vodka bring to the table?

Well, for one, vodka is actually incredibly versatile. Though it may not pack the fresh botanicals of a gin or the bold spice of a whiskey, vodka can offer subtle texture and body in a cocktail. Sometimes you do need a neutral canvas to work with. When mixed with fruity, herbal or citrusy ingredients, it allows those stronger flavors to shine bright. And it’s not just for summer cocktails; Vodka is also ideal in fall and winter cocktails like espresso martinis and the elusive Harvey Wallbanger. That’s not to mention the pitch-perfect pairing of caviar and ice-cold vodka.

The history of vodka is long and largely unknown. It has been traced back to 9th-century Russia by some and 8th-century Poland by others. Wherever and whenever it may have been born, vodka remains central and elemental to the pan-Slavic identity, and many of the best representations today are classic Russian and Polish vodkas.

Vodka also has held modern significance in America. Before the craft cocktail revolution of the 2000s, during which renewed interest in Prohibition-era old-fashioneds and Manhattans drove demand for brown spirits, it was vodka that reigned supreme. Following World War II, a vodka craze swept America: Between 1950 and 1955, sales of vodka skyrocketed from 40,000 to 4 million cases. And crowds went wild for Cosmopolitans and Moscow Mules.

Today, despite pandemic-era setbacks and bartenders bemoaning it, vodka remains the top-selling spirits category in America. Those open-minded enough to seek it out will discover the hyperlocal, almost terroir-driven nature of vodka; vodka producers typically utilize what’s indigenous to their specific location. However subtle, vodka offers a sense of place and cultural context.

“There’s a reason vodka has been the single best-selling spirit for decades: People like it.” says Claire Mallett, a bartender at Los Angeles’ Harvard & Stone. “I have always loved vodka, and I like to choose my vodka the way I choose my wine: from the region it’s produced. You can distill vodka from anything, so each country or region uses the ingredient most available to them.”

Beyond base ingredients, vodkas often are also distinguished by the quality of water used. Iceland’s Reyka, for example, uses glacier water, as well as the thoroughness of the filtration process; Japan’s Haku is filtered through bamboo charcoal; and northern Italy’s Carbonadi passes through black diamonds. With both large and craft producers releasing new and experimental takes on vodka, you can now find vodkas made from brandy, rice, pineapple and beyond. The category has grown so diverse that the very foundation of vodka’s identity—a neutral, odorless, flavorless spirit—has been challenged. This freewheeling, pluralistic environment has also allowed sustainable, organic vodkas such as Square One Organic rye vodka and the carbon-negative Good vodka to emerge.

“I think it started with the craft beer movement and then continued with craft spirits. People are actually asking a lot more about how alcohol is made, what it’s made from and what that process looks like,” says Mark Byrne, a writer and the founder of Good vodka, which is made from discarded coffee fruit. “With more variation in how vodka is made—what fruits and grains we start with, the care that goes into smaller-scale production—we can talk about the different strains of flavor that make it through the distillation process. We can finally stop pretending vodka is 100% flavorless.”

Whether you’re looking for classic Russian vodka or exploring new-school American expressions, there’s plenty of reason to rediscover the once-maligned vodka category. Given its subtlety, you can rotate different brands and types of vodka for the same cocktails; every vodka on this list is inherently martini-friendly. And don’t be afraid to try vodkas made from nontraditional ingredients; we’ve included a few to get you started. From green-friendly Good to cult-beloved Absolut Elyx, we’ve rounded up the 15 best vodkas for any mood and occasion.

• Best Overall: Reyka
• Best Value: Sobieski Polish
• Best for the Environment: Good
• Best for Cocktails: St. George All Purpose
• Best for Casual Sipping: Absolut Elyx
• Best Luxury Vodka: Belvedere Single Estate Lake Bartężek
• Best Russian Vodka: Zyr
• Best Polish Vodka: Chopin Wheat
• Best Potato Vodka: Karlsson’s Gold
• Best Grape Vodka: Hanson of Sonoma Organic
• Best Rice Vodka: Haku
• Best Honey Vodka: Barr Hill
• Best Pineapple Vodka: Pau Maui
• Best Flavored Vodka: Finlandia Grapefruit
• Best Crowd Favorite: Tito’s Handmade

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Reyka

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It might be the crystal-clear Icelandic glacier water, the geothermic steam-powered distillation or the ancient Arctic lava rock filtration—Reyka comes with lots of romantic appeal. A classic, neutral grain vodka, it stands up excellently in a martini but also offers ever so gentle hints of citrus peel that brighten up more refreshing shaken cocktails. Excellently crisp on the palate, this workhorse vodka also pairs well with hearty foods and grilled meats. Try it in this barbecue-friendly citrus-and-elderflower concoction.

Best Value: Sobieski Polish

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Bartenders swear by this Polish Dankowski rye vodka, which is named after the 17th-century king who defended Europe from Ottoman attacks. Produced via continuous column distillation, Sobieski is characterized by a fresh, grassy aroma and light body. And at just around $11, it offers plenty of bang for the buck. While many other vodkas in this price range come with an unpleasant alcohol taste, Sobieski drinks smoothly whether on ice or in cocktails. Try it in this blueberry jam and prosecco refresher.

Best for the Environment: Good

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Created by veteran bartender Tristan Willey and writer Mark Byrne, Good vodka sheds light on coffee production and the waste that’s typically discarded along the way. A carbon-negative spirit, Good is made entirely from cascara, the typically discarded coffee fruit, from organic family-owned farms in the mountains of Colombia. According to Bryrne, it’s the knowledge and care of these multigenerational farmers that guarantees the quality of the fruit. But Good vodka isn’t just doing good—it also tastes good. The coffee fruit imparts a luscious viscosity and spicy aromatics. Sip it on ice.

Best for Cocktails: St. George All Purpose

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Complex and strong enough to support both martinis and highballs, this versatile vodka from St. George Spirits certainly lives up to its name. The California distillery starts by turning locally grown Bartlett pears into an unaged brandy and then blending that with a neutral, non-GMO spirit. The result is a crystal-clear vodka that offers nutty aromas, gentle fruity and floral hints, and a thick velvety mouthfeel that unfurls into an almost malted finish.

Best for Casual Sipping: Absolut Elyx

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For consistent quality (with widespread availability), this winter wheat vodka is one of the best premium options on the market. Though it’s made by a large producer, Elyx offers a more refined experience than its peers of a similar price. During production, copper packets are manually added to each batch of raw spirit—a kinetic process that purifies the spirit and removes remnants of sulphur. Distilled in a vintage 1921 copper column still, the final vodka is clean and full-bodied with light grain notes.

Best Luxury Vodka: Belvedere Single Estate Lake Bartężek

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A highlight of Belvedere’s critically acclaimed portfolio, this is one of two single-estate Polish rye vodkas created specifically to explore terroir in the category. The vodka is made from rye grown on the banks of the glacial Lake Bartężek in northern Poland, where it spends most of the long winter actually buried under snow. Each sip starts with earthy and floral aromas that open into a myriad of flavors on the palate ranging from fragrant lavender to crushed peppercorns and citrus peel.

Best Russian Vodka: Zyr

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Combining winter wheat and rye grains, Zyr manifests the most exalted qualities of Russian vodka: a smooth mouthfeel that delivers notes of cereal grain and a hint of spice. Multiple distillations and filtrations are key to the brilliance and clarity of this vodka. Water from northwestern Russia is filtered five times before joining with the grains for five distillations, followed by four more filtrations. An excellent accompaniment to caviar and smoked salmon, it likewise plays well alongside herbs like thyme and dill.

Best Polish Vodka: Chopin Wheat

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Launched in 1992, Chopin works with local farms growing potato, wheat, and rye to source ingredients for their various vodkas. The most light-bodied of the Polish brand’s premium portfolio, the wheat vodka offers warm spices like vanilla and clove, making it ideal for more flavorful citrus-forward cocktails, gingery mules and warm toddies alike.

Best Potato Vodka: Karlsson’s Gold

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While potatoes are nowhere near the most popular ingredient used across the vodka category today, some of the best still use the simple spuds to create fun and interesting flavor profiles. Produced by Absolut alum Börje Karlsson, this Swedish potato vodka distinguishes itself from the bunch with just a single distillation and zero filtration. Made with new virgin potatoes, the vodka has a pleasant oiliness that makes for smooth sipping, offering an earthy, almost funky flavor with notes of ginger and cocoa. This one is ideal on the rocks.

Best Grape Vodka: Hanson of Sonoma Organic

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Set in the heart of the California wine country, Hanson of Sonoma is a family-owned distillery making small-batch vodka from organic wine grapes. Distilled in a combination pot and 50-plate column still, this vodka sips easy, balancing a peppery heat with a whisper of candy sweetness. The distillery also produces standout naturally flavored vodkas, including a refreshing cucumber vodka made with hand-picked, hand-peeled, hand-chopped cukes.

Best Rice Vodka: Haku

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In the past few decades, Japan has become world-renowned for whiskey, gin and vodka. One of the most dynamic forces in Japanese spirits, the House of Suntory in 2018 launched this vodka employing hakumai, or polished short-grain rice. Fantastic in spirit-forward cocktails, like a martini, this vodka balances a light, floral sweetness with a backbone of peppery spice.

Best Honey Vodka: Barr Hill

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Made by Vermont craft producer Caledonia Spirits, this vodka uses 100 percent local, natural honey that’s never pasteurized before fermentation. Distilled only twice, this vodka is distinctly floral with a fittingly raw sweetness. Eschewing bigger-budget vodka marketing, Barr Hill is a true craft producer focused on the beekeepers and agricultural producers they work with. Sustainability is also top of mind: The distillery powers much of its day-to-day operation through rooftop solar panels and separates waste to be upcycled.

Best Pineapple Vodka: Pau Maui

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Produced in Maui, Hawaii, this vodka makes use of Hawaiian spring water and local pineapples, the universal symbol of hospitality. Distilled in a 14-foot glass column still and filtered five times, this unique vodka offers just a hint of its fruity essence, with a gentle sweetness that’s reminiscent of both pineapple and strawberry. Vanilla joins in the finish, making this vodka ideal for drinks that sit on the sweeter side.

Best Flavored Vodka: Finlandia Grapefruit

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With consumer preferences shifting to natural and organic ingredients, one could fill an entire list of excellent flavored vodkas alone. Grapefruit and vodka are natural bedfellows, and this citrusy vodka from Finland is a gateway to the world of flavored vodkas. It all starts with Finlandia’s classic vodka—a marriage of Finnish-grown six-row golden suomi barley and local glacial spring water—and ends with a squeeze of fresh grapefruit. Double up on the grapefruit in this Floridita riff, shaking vodka with fresh grapefruit, lime, and triple sec.

Best Crowd Favorite: Tito’s Handmade

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If you’ve worked behind the bar, you know Tito’s remains a cult favorite. Produced in Austin, Texas, it’s emblematic of the classic American pot-still corn vodka.

Features to Keep in Mind

Types of Vodka

Vodkas are typically categorized by their origin and ingredient base. Though most of the world’s vodkas produced today are made from neutral grain (rye, wheat, sorghum) and corn, other base ingredients run the gamut from potatoes and sugar beets to grapes and apples. Any of these ingredients can be distilled into a plain, clear vodka, each with its own distinct character.

Plain vodka can also be infused or flavored to add complexity and personality to the spirit. Some vodkas are infused with botanicals (though not to be confused with gin), as well as flavored with fruit. When considering an infused or flavored vodka, seek out those made with all-natural flavors, such as Ketel One Botanical or Deep Eddy. These can be served as a simple highball topped with club soda.

Taste

Vodka is effectively tasteless, and many vodkas tout their purity, neutrality and lack of flavor. However, certain vodkas do offer aromas and very subtle flavors that can be pleasant.

Proof

In the United States, vodka must be distilled at a minimum of 190 proof. It’s unaged and typically filtered for clarity and smoothness. By design, the high proof of vodka removes the impurities, flavors and characteristics of its composite ingredients.

Smoothness

The widely-known “smoothness” of vodka, which can be creamy and almost viscous, comes from the distillation and filtration of the spirit. Many brands spotlight their multiple distillations and multiple filtrations when discussing the pure goes-down-easy quality of a vodka.

Ask the Experts

Q: What is vodka made of?

Vodka’s characteristic versatility extends even to the diverse range of ingredients used to make it. Anything containing sugar or starches can be fermented and distilled with water to produce ethanol. Though potato once dominated the vodka market, it has long been surpassed by corn and grains like rye and wheat, which generally derive a “cleaner” result with fewer distillation processes. These days, sugar cane, honey and different fruits are used to make vodka, each offering their own subtle touch.

“We still get a number of folks who say, ‘How can this be vodka?’ It’s not made from potatoes,’” says Byrne of Good vodka. “Well, most of the vodka in the world isn’t made from potatoes. The best-selling vodkas in the world and in the U.S. are made from corn. Ciroc is made from grapes, and we’re made from discarded coffee fruit.”

Q: Is there any sugar in vodka?

Vodka has no sugar. It also lacks carbohydrates, fats, sodium, and other vitamins and minerals, as it only contains ethanol and water. Fitness aficionados crown vodka as their go-to spirit for its low caloric impact and sugar-free sips.

Q: What is the best type of vodka for making cocktails?

The various processes of making vodka aid in the shaping of its flavor. The water source, the type of wheat or fruit, the material of the still, and the filtration method play an integral part in the final product. Unless you’re making a drink with a very specific presence, most quality-made vodkas with a light and crisp taste can complete any drink.

Q: How long can a bottle of vodka stay open?

An unopened bottle of vodka can keep its flavor and alcohol content for decades. Once opened, the oxidation process that breaks down alcohol eventually takes hold, although not much about it changes.

Our Take

“Vodka has been a misunderstood category in recent years because I feel like it suffered from what I like to call the Led Zeppelin effect.” says Mallett. “The band was the biggest band in the world, and the backlash was eye rolls by music fans. For years, they were considered passé. But the bottom line is: They’re a great band, and now they’re back to being revered.”

Indeed, vodka may never be a bartender’s favorite, but at the end of the day, there are plenty of vodkas worth respecting and understanding. Vodka might not be as complex as a brown spirit, but it can still teach us a lot about the importance of terroir and may one day become a truly sustainable spirits category. Attitudes toward vodka are changing, so it’s best to keep an open mind and challenge any past preconceptions.

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“I told Harlen that I’m gonna make him vodka-famous someday!”

“Harlen” is Buffalo Trace Distillery’s master distiller, Harlen Wheatley. The person who wants to make him “vodka-famous” is none other than Julian Van Winkle, III, who selects and oversees the barrels of bourbon destined to receive the coveted Van Winkle moniker. (In case you don’t know, “Pappy” Van Winkle was Van Winkle III’s grandfather.)

Julian Van Winkle, bourbon icon, is talking about vodka?

This conversation came about when I ran into Julian at our local liquor store in Louisville. He was picking up a special order of gourmet tonic water to mix with Wheatley Vodka. Even though I appreciated that it was perfectly appropriate white-spirits-and-tonic season given it was 90 degrees outside with corresponding humidity, I raised an eyebrow. Julian Van Winkle is drinking vodka?

In response, he shared a glowing tribute to Wheatley’s clear spirit. It is made in a custom-designed still (there’s a drawing of it on the bottle label). It is based on wheat (had to be given the distiller’s name). And it is distilled 10 times and triple-filtered (for exceptional smoothness).

A crisp, frosty shot of Wheatley Vodka, bottled at 82 proof, has a telltale sweet note right at the very end of the finish. Not sugary, mind. Just a sweet tap like you would get from a very fine, smooth bourbon. The mash bill contains “other grains,” which no doubt include corn. This is bourbon country, after all.

Kentucky vodka. So, what’s next, Kentucky caviar? As a matter of fact, yes.

Tucked away in the riverside Portland neighborhood of west Louisville is Shuckman’s Fish Co. & Smokery. It just happens to have a Van Winkle connection, too, since proprietor Louis Shuckman uses barrels in which Pappy Van Winkle bourbon was aged to smoke the company’s trout. Shuckman’s also processes and sells Kentucky Spoonfish Caviar.

Do not scoff at the notion of Kentucky caviar. Such renowned chefs as Chicago’s Rick Bayless, Atlanta’s Ford Fry, and New York’s Wylie Dufresne have all served it in their restaurants. (Though, to date, Dufresne has not used it in his new Brooklyn doughnut shop.) The eggs are harvested from Kentucky farm-raised paddlefish, an ancient species that is related to sturgeon (the traditional source of caviar) and native to the Mississippi and Ohio Valley river basins. It is also known as the spoonfish, for its prodigiously prominent flat snout.

I mentioned to Julian that Wheatley Vodka would be a natural accompaniment to paddlefish caviar and he was enthusiastic. After all, the tiny black caviar spheres, coming from a freshwater fish, are not the salt bombs other domestic caviars can be. In fact, they’re rather mild, but not bland. Julian provided a further insight into a prominent chef’s creativity: “Sean Brock likes to serve it [paddlefish caviar] with hot chicken.”

Admittedly, there is not a long tradition of caviar consumption in the Bluegrass State. Unless you count pimento cheese, also known as “the caviar of the South,” or the black-eyed pea salad sometimes called “Texas caviar.” Vodka certainly doesn’t enjoy the pride of place allotted to bourbon. But with some 40 recently opened craft distilleries in the state, vodka, which does not have to be aged like bourbon, is providing cash flow for the start-ups while they wait for their whiskey to mature.

Meanwhile, the best news about this rather unlikely Kentucky combination is that it can be described as an affordable luxury. Search the internet and you will find premium Russian beluga caviar, straight from the Caspian Sea, for about $150 an ounce. But you can visit Shuckman’s Fish Co. & Smokery’s website and find the far less costly, but still indulgent, Kentucky Spoonfish Caviar. It’s about $30 an ounce and sold in two- and four-ounce tins.

Wheatley Vodka, which is pretty widely distributed and far easier to obtain than Julian Van Winkle’s eponymous whiskeys, sells for about $20 for a 750 mL bottle.

Na zdorovie, y’all!

Susan Reigler had been writing about bourbon for three decades. The Bourbon Tasting Notebook is but one of her several bourbon books. Currently the president of The Bourbon Women Association, she lives and writes in Louisville, Kentucky.

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It ended 78 years ago, but Prohibition impeded America’s artisanal distilling tradition for a long time. Prior to the establishment of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919, when the making and selling of alcohol became illegal in this country, there were an estimated 1,200 distilleries in New York State alone. Today, thanks to changing laws, the influence of local food movements, and other factors, craft distilling is finally back, and it’s going like gangbusters. Some of what’s happening is a return to traditional American whiskey production. But whiskey takes years to age. What’s a distiller to do while the whiskey sits in barrels? One answer is to make vodka. Saveur.com recently did a tasting of the distilled, filtered spirits. We were joined by Alexis Kahn, Director of Beverage Services, at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and Ethan Kelley, founder of drinkstraight.com, to sample an impressive lineup of American craft vodkas, some made from the ‘usual’ suspects—grain, rye, and potato—and others produced using innovative, local ingredients like grapes and maple sap. Here, some of our favorites.

•13th Colony Distillery, a two-year-old company in Americus, Georgia, produces Plantation Vodka, a clean, classic spirit that does well in savory drinks like martinis and Gibsons.

•13th Colony also makes Southern Vodka, a smooth, grain-based vodka with a slight hint of sugar and enough heat to stand up to ice. Try it in a citrusy cocktail, like a screwdriver or a greyhound.

•From the heart of bourbon country comes Pure Blue Vodka, made by Lexington, Kentucky’s Barrel House Distilling. A well-balanced, Russian-style grain vodka with a pleasingly sweet finish, it’s wonderful chilled and paired with caviar, pickled vegetables, or smoked trout.

•Grand Traverse’s True North Vodka gets its chutneylike aroma and spicy flavor from rye. It makes for an interesting martini, and it’s a perfect candidate for a masala mary, a South Asian twist on the bloody mary.

•Smooth, rye-based V6 Vodka by Florida’s fourth-generation Empire Winery & Distillery is assertive yet balanced, with a marked acidity and spice, as well as a slightly sweet finish. It works well in sweeter drinks.

•”Vodka should be like this,” Alexis Kahn, Director of Beverage Services at the French Culinary Institute, said as she sampled the corn-based Tito’s Vodka, from Austin, Texas’ Mockingbird Distillery. A neutral flavor, a slight burn, and a hint of sweetness make it a classic mixer for soda or tonic.

•Oak-aged Crater Lake Vodka made by Oregon’s Bend Distillery is big and round with hints of vanilla. It pairs well with grapefruit.

•With a silky mouthfeel, a slight sweetness, and a smooth kick on the finish, Cascade Peak Spirit’s Organic Nation Vodka goes nicely with herbaceous and citrus flavors.

•Maryland’s maverick Dogfish Head Brewery might brew some unusual beers, but their Blue Hen Vodka, distilled in tiny batches, is neutral in flavor and true to classic form—the better to infuse it, as they do at Dogfish Head’s Rehoboth Beach Brewpub, with a variety of fruits and spices.

•Vintner’s Vodka, made from a blend of local grapes by Finger Lakes Distilling in upstate New York, has a depth of flavor with a hints of fruit, floral and grapes. The smooth spirit works well with all sorts of fruity and floral mixers.

•Maple Sap is the basis for Vermont Spirits’ Vermont Gold Vodka, a spirit with a creamy, buttery finish just right for mixing into a White Russian, or any other cold-weather drink made with coffee, espresso, cream, or cake spices. As Kahn says, “It’s an autumn vodka.”

•Situated amid North Shore potato farms, Long Island Spirits, in Baiting Hallow, New York, makes the versatile, potato-based LiV Vodka. “Light on its feet,” according to Kahn, and grassy with a touch sweetness.

•Spokane, Washington’s, Dry Fly Distilling produces a very mild round vodka with notes of melon. It would be best mixed with fruity mixers, such as orange juice.

The post Tasting Notes: Craft American Vodkas appeared first on Saveur.

Even though the holidays have come and gone, a good excuse for celebratory tippling can always be found at any time of the year. One of the most popular sources of cheer these days is high-end vodka, and there are more options out there than ever. My interest, though, has always been piqued by Polish vodka.

Poland has been able to project an element of exclusiveness, even elitism, around its vodka. That is in large part thanks to the aggressive marketing campaigns of the premium Polish vodka brands, like Chopin and Belvedere, which associate images of high fashion, beautiful women, and other forms of luxury with their products. But some of the hype is justly derived from the country’s long history of vodka making, as well as its singular practice of elevating potato vodka to near-sacred status. Other countries (such as Russia, France, and Sweden) also count themselves members of the vodka-producing elite, but for the most part they denounce potato vodka as blasphemy. The debate has always intrigued me.

Vodka can be made from any number of starchy food staples, most notably rye, barley, wheat, oats, and potatoes. The distilling process breaks down the starches of these ingredients into sugars that are converted into alcohol. The resulting spirits can vary widely in their taste, mouth-feel, and aroma.

Of all the bases for vodka, potatoes produce the most viscous and creamy drink. Potato vodka can also be oily, overly sweet, and harsh at the same time. Wheat and rye vodkas have a tendency to be lighter, smoother, and cleaner, and detractors of potato vodka happen to focus on those qualities. Despite the criticism, Poland has in fact attained great prestige for its potato vodka, mostly prominently with Chopin. The company touts the provenance of its potatoes (from the Podlasie region of Poland) and the sheer quantity that goes into the making of a bottle (seven pounds). Drinking Chopin vodka proves that potato vodka can indeed offer a very pleasant experience. But what do Poles, specifically the authorities on Polish vodka, think? I recently had the opportunity to travel to Poland to find out firsthand.

What I noticed first about vodka in Poland is that, well, there’s a lot of it, and most of the vodka brands were to me unrecognizable. Many brands are regional ones, available only locally. Even so, there were still dozens of nationally distributed brands that I had never heard of.

There’s a good reason why there are so many different vodkas in Poland: the natives drink a lot of the stuff. Much drinking takes place around the dining table during lunch and dinner—and if you go a touch overboard at night, then you might take a little bit at breakfast too, just to get you going again.

Amid all the vodka drinking, clearly the national preference is for rye vodka. (Sorry, Chopin.) Given how intimately vodka and dining are linked in Poland, the preference makes sense. Good rye-based vodka, with its clean, light mouth-feel and short, hot finish, is well suited to the foods that Poles love. Deliciously oily herring, pickled vegetables, fried pierogi, garlicky sliced meats, and rich roasts are all perfect counterpoints to vodka’s steely minerality and its solvent-like alcohol. In concert, these qualities lift strong flavors and mouth-coating fats off the tongue in preparation for the next bite.

Back in our test kitchen, we too were drawn to rye-based vodka, for its smooth, clean drinkability and its subtle and brief peppery burn. While flavorful and aromatic, both of the potato vodkas we tasted (Chopin and Luxsosova) we found heavy, viscous, and a bit oily. Some thought Luxsosova was downright aggressive.

Of all the rye-based vodkas, we determined Sobieksi vodka to be the smoothest and most pleasant of all the rye-based vodkas, and the good news for these difficult economic times is that it’s also the least expensive. Sobieski made for such easy drinking that one taster promised he could easily imagine substituting it for water. Potocki emerged as the most distinguished, refined, and interesting, one that is a true connoisseur’s vodka, meant for slow enjoyment. One taster likened it to a fine “sipping” brandy, with a rich nose reminiscent of vanilla and oak.

Tasting Results All vodkas were tasted at room temperature. They are listed in the order of the author’s preferences.

Potato Vodkas

Chopin: Viscous, with a creamy mouth-feel. A bit of funk on the nose but a pleasant herbal flavor. Seemingly sweet with a smooth, short finish. An enjoyable experience overall.

Luxsosova: Flavorful but harsh, with an unpleasant horseradish bite and burn on the finish.

Rye Vodkas

Sobieski: A standout favorite for its smoothness and remarkable drinkability. Free of any unpleasant bite or burn. Crystal-clear minerality. An easy, enjoyable, everyday vodka.

Pototcki: A true connoisseur’s vodka, meant to be sipped and savored. A beautiful, fragrant bouquet reminiscent of brandy’s, with notes of warm vanilla and wood, while still maintaining a characteristic minerality.

Belvedere: Creamy, almost peppery, but not particularly flavorful or unique. Harsh burn on the back end.

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Infused vodkas make great building blocks for creative cocktails, such as the Pineapple Ginger Martini created by Tabasco chef Jason Gronlund.

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