Vodka Prices, Brands & Buying Guide

Personally, I don’t generally recommend vodka as a spirit. Most vodka cocktails would simply be better as gin drinks. If you’re drinking vodka with soda, tonic, or another carbonated mixer, then the brand really isn’t going to make a huge difference. Brands like Graingers, Deep Eddy, Stoli, Skyy, and Smiroff are all similarly priced or cheaper, and the difference in taste will be negligible with the addition of a mixer. On the “premium” side, I think Ketel One, Grey Goose, and Belvedere are all fine, but again, when mixed in a cocktail, you likely won’t be able to tell the difference.

I do think there are a few interesting vodkas out there. If you’re drinking them neat, I think Potato Vodkas like Chopin and Luksusowa are interesting. There is a bit more flavor and thicker almost fatty consistency. Zubrowka is a polish vodka flavored with bison grass that I easily crown my favorite vodka. It has subtly sweet notes of vanilla, chamomile, cocoa flower, and grass. They also make rose vodka.