Best Russian Vodka
If you’re a vodka enthusiast, appreciating the alcoholic spirit’s unique and incredibly subtle taste, then you’ll know that there are countless different brands of it to try from all over the world.
Plenty of different countries, such as Sweden and Poland, make popular vodkas, but undoubtedly the most famous place for producing the drink is Russia.
Russia is a word that’s almost synonymous with vodka, with the enormous country having a famous and long history with the spirit.
For an age, vodka has been a popular choice with the people of Russia, bringing them warmth against the bitter cold weather that’s always sweeping the land.
As a result, Russia has plenty of experience when it comes to brewing vodka.
With that being said, there’s so many different Russian vodkas being made that it can be hard to narrow the list down and find only the best ones. What can you do?
Well, we’ve done the work instead! In our useful guide below, you’ll find a breakdown of the best Russian vodka.
With each one, we’ve got a detailed description of the drink, along with information on what makes it such a great choice. On top of that, we’ve got a Buyers’ Guide with a range of factors that you’ll want to look out for when making your buying decision.
Read on! And, as ever, enjoy the drink responsibly.
Best Russian Vodka
We’re starting our list off with what is probably the most popular Russian vodka there is: Stolichnaya.
Regularly shortened to Stoli, this brand of vodka has proven incredibly popular for good reason, thanks to its premium quality and range of subtle flavors that you can enjoy when drinking it. You can buy a bottle of it from Amazon here.
Why Is It A Good Choice?
Stolichnaya Vodka is produced in the Tambov area of Russia, where you can be sure that the finest processes and ingredients are used to help create a drink that is the highest quality it can be.
There’s a reason that this brand of Russian vodka has proved popular for so long, with the drink having been made for over 65 years, and that’s because of the care that goes into producing it.
The facilities where it’s produced are state of the art, and the production techniques that are employed have been truly time tested.
These are processes that are known to work well, and the final result speaks for itself, with its range of subtle flavors and aromas.
But what are those flavors and aromas? Well, drinking this vodka will give you subtle hints of citrus rind, with a very subtle edge of zestiness. It offers a medium-bodied palate, but the entry into the drink is very smooth initially.
As for the aromas, you can expect a range of different subtle scents as you drink it. You’ll find mild hints of fruit peel in there, as well as a touch of marshmallow, lending it a sweet edge.
Next on our list is Zyr Vodka, another incredibly popular Russian vodka. This means that you can expect great quality from it – as well as the fact that it’s placed so highly on our list!
The key reason for its popularity is the enormous amount of care that goes into producing it, with a carefully layered production process that we’ll go into below. You can buy a bottle of it here.
Why Is It A Good Choice?
Zyr Vodka is so successful thanks to the carefully curated recipe that it’s made with, the process that is used to do it, and the ingredients that are specifically picked. It all starts with water filtration, funnily enough.
Clean water is sourced from the North West of Russia, then filtered five different times in order to make it as pure as possible, perfectly prepared for the grains to be blended with it later down the line.
However, it doesn’t just stop at five times, because there’s a further four more filtrations done in order to give it the best taste possible and get rid of any impurities that have been left over.
After that, it’s time for distillations. Rye and wheat are blended together and distilled five separate times, resulting in a clean-tasting end product. Finally, each of the key elements are carefully tasted in order to inspect them for the highest quality.
This means that the water, the blend of grain alcohol, and the final Zyr Vodka are all taste tested (find out more about the taste of vodka here).
As a result, you can be sure that you’re getting a final product that tastes great! You can expect to find various subtle flavors in there when you drink it, such as little hints of black peppercorn. You’ll also find that it’s perfectly silky and rich, and there’s a touch of sweetness and herbiness to the aftertaste.
Beluga is another exceptionally popular brand when it comes to Russian vodka, thanks to the various different vodka varieties they sell. We’re sticking with their Noble line, which was their first type, originally made back in 2002.
It has a soft flavor and a taste that’s rich, and it’s a great choice if you’re looking for Russian vodka. You can buy a bottle of it here.
Why Is It A Good Choice?
The reason that Beluga Noble Vodka has been such a hot choice for two decades and counting is the creative methods and techniques that are used to produce the drink, using only the best processes in order to make only the best vodka.
For a start, Beluga uses a filtration process of two stages in order to make sure that the drink is pure and perfect. The filtration processes are strict in order to give you a drink with no impurities or flaws.
In order to make it even better, the drink is then left for 30 days in order to let the water and the spirit combine in perfect harmony, bringing out the best of both elements and fusing them into one great whole.
And what does that whole taste like? Well, you’ll get a complex mix of subtle flavors to enjoy. Sweet flavors like honey and vanilla are definitely present, while you’ll also find that it gets spicier when it reaches the back of the palate.
Vodka can be known for its harsh smallest, but that isn’t the case with Beluga Noble Vodka, because the 30 day resting period gets rid of that.
Next on our list is The Jewel Of Russia Vodka, whose name is about as Russian as a Russian Vodka’s name can get! This offers true Russian authenticity, made with traditions that come straight from Russia’s heart and history.
You can buy a bottle of it here.
Why Is It A Good Choice?
The key aim of The Jewel of Russia Vodka company is to ensure that their drinks truly embody the country from which they come – preserving all of the authentic and traditional characteristics of Russia, as well as tastes, ingredients, and processes unique to it.
As a result, this is a Russian vodka that contains infusions that you won’t get anywhere else if you’re getting vodka in the Russian market.
They have a few different varieties, but we’d recommend the Classic variety. With it, you can expect to find a drink that’s suitably thick and fulsome, which can really give the drink a real presence.
As for the flavors you can expect to enjoy when responsibly drinking it, there are hints of fruitiness in there, as well as a little spiciness just on the edge. Additionally, there’s a subtle sweetness present.
Russian Standard is one of the key brands when it comes to Russian vodka, being one of the premier names that people associate with the spirit and quality.
It’s won plenty of awards and features a thorough production process in order to give you the finest drink possible. You can buy a bottle of it here.
Why Is It A Good Choice?
Russian Standard only uses natural ingredients for their drinks, meaning that they’re of the highest and cleanest quality. On top of that, their ingredients are carefully picked out to be the best of the best.
For example, the water is pure glacial and sourced from lake Ladoga in Russia. Similarly, the wheat is finely sourced too, being food grade winter wheat found at the Russian Steppes.
However, it isn’t just enough that the ingredients are taken from the best places, because the production process for the vodka needs to make the best use of them too.
Thankfully, with Russian Standard, it does! Their vodka is distilled an enormous 200 times. This is an incredibly impressive number that speaks to how pure the final result is, removing every flaw and giving you a drink that’s smooth as anything.
But how is it on the palate? You can expect a slightly peppery edge when drinking it, as well as a subtle level of sweetness thanks to the winter wheat. It’s the peppery edge that remains on the finish, though, leaving you with a pleasantly subtle spiciness.
This next entry on our list is a very striking one, in both the style of the Russian vodka and the way that it’s presented.
While every other Russian vodka comes in a bottle, this comes in a small barrel, giving it a punky and industrial appearance. You can buy a barrel of it here.
Why Is It A Good Choice?
This Russian vodka isn’t technically made in Russia anymore, but Russia is where it was born. A group of Russians were working in the oil fields of Siberia, Russia in the 197-s when they decided to start making their own vodka.
This was Neft vodka, which is Russian for “oil”, and the group of Russians took the formula to Austria when they moved there.
So, while it’s now made with Austrian grains and water, its processes and heart lie in Russia.
Speaking of the grains, Neft exclusively uses Old-World rye grains that haven’t been genetically modified. These help to give the drink a subtle hint of sweetness, as well as a level of softness too.
As for the water, it’s taken from the Rhein River that runs beneath the famous Alps. As a result, you can expect that the spring water is rich in oxygen, making it perfect for a pure and smooth vodka.
When it comes to the flavors of Neft Vodka, you can expect a pleasant range. While the initial entry of the drink might be a touch sour, this soon moves into something buttery and fruity, with touches of dates and melons in there.
As for the aroma, it’s incredibly subtle, with the slightest blend of citrus and vanilla to give it a zesty and sweet edge.
The final entry on our list of the best Russian vodkas available is Green Mark Vodka, a popular brand that is created with a care that you can really taste in the finished product. You can buy a bottle of it here.
Why Is It A Good Choice?
As with all the best Russian vodkas out there, Green Mark Vodka is made with the finest ingredients.
We all know by now that the two key parts of vodka are wheat and water, and as a result you’ll want to buy from a spirit-maker that’s sourcing those two things from the best place.
With Green Mark, you can be sure that they’re using spring water that’s crystal clear and pure.
Similarly, they source the finest winter wheat to use, which then blends perfectly with the water thanks their production processes.
Speaking of processes, they actually use automated stream technology to combine their natural ingredients into the final drink.
With that being said, the lack of humans in the production process actually makes it less likely that the process runs into mistakes. Meanwhile, they also use rectification to give the drink its mild flavor.
All the processes that Green Mark uses for their vodka are based on the most prominent designs, processes, and recipes of the soviet period, meaning that this Russian vodka is almost a best-of selection of Russian vodka history.
As for the flavor, you can expect to enjoy a palate that verges on the side of maltiness.
The vodka has a subtle sweetness to it that makes it a great choice too, while the finish has touches of aniseed.
Buyers’ Guide
Throughout our list of the best Russian vodka, you will have noticed certain characteristics and facts about the drinks that kept appearing over and over.
These are the kinds of things that you will want to look out for when it comes to selecting which Russian vodka is best for you.
To help make the buying process even easier for you, we’ve rounded up the key factors to think about when you’re shopping for the spirit.
Authentically Russian
If you want Russian vodka, then you’ll want Russian vodka. It sounds obvious, but you’ll want to check that your Russian vodka has properly been made in Russia with Russian ingredients and processes.
Almost every entry on our list met this desire, and the one that didn’t (Neft Vodka) had originated in Russia and still used the same techniques at least, even if it was now using the ingredients of another country.
Ingredients
Speaking of ingredients, you’ll want to ensure that your Russian vodka choice is using the best ingredients. The two key parts of Russian vodka will be water and wheat.
As a result, you’ll want to check that your Russian vodka is getting its water from a high-quality spring or lake in Russia, where the water is crystal clear and rich in oxygen.
As for the wheat, you’ll want it to be food grade and sourced from a high-quality spot in Russia. You’ll also want to make sure that it’s free of any genetic modification, instead being all natural.
Flavors
Every Russian vodka is totally unique, with their own blend of subtle flavors and tastes that no other drink can give you. As a result, you’ll want to buy a Russian vodka that is known for having flavors that you know you like having on your palate.
Distillation
You’ll also want to get a Russian vodka that has had an extensive process of distillation in its manufacture. Distillation involves heating and then vaporizing the liquid in order to make it more pure, which will make the drink a lot higher in quality.
Filtration
Similarly, you’ll want to make sure that the water that’s used for the vodka goes through various steps of filtration, helping to make it cleaner and clearer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smirnoff Russian Vodka?
Smirnoff may look Russian, and its roots are Russian since it was founded in Moscow, but it’s been made in America for a long time now.
Final Thoughts
Russia has some of the best vodkas – use our guide to find the best!
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