15 Best Vodka Brands to Drink Straight: Ranked (2023)
Last Updated on April 9, 2023 by Lydia Martin
When it comes to vodkas, the taste is everything. While some other vodkas taste just fine, there are best-tasting vodkas you may haven’t tried before.
If you’re tired of your usual plain vodka, we’ve compiled a list of the best vodkas to drink straight. Read on.
Top 15 Vodka Bottles To Drink Straight
15. Reyka
Average Price: $27.99 – $37.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Reyka has a smooth and crisp taste, subtle sweetness, and hints of floral and citrus notes.
It also has a slight mineral edge to the finish due to the filtration process through lava rocks.
14. Nikka Coffey
Average Price: $44.79 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Nikka Coffey is one of the best from Japan, made in corn and barley.
It delivers a smooth and silky texture with a mild sweetness and a hint of white pepper. The taste is clean and crisp, with subtle fruitiness and a soft finish.
13. Humboldt Organic
Average Price: $22.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Humboldt has a clean and pure taste, with a subtle sweetness that is not overpowering; made from organic, non-GMO corn and distilled multiple times.
It is a smooth and easy-to-drink vodka with a crisp finish that leaves a refreshing sensation in your mouth.
12. Double Cross
Average Price: $5.49 – $35.19 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Double Cross is an ultra-premium vodka with a smooth and creamy taste and a subtle sweetness that lingers on your palate.
Its flavor profile is rich and complex, with hints of vanilla and almond that balance perfectly with the natural essence of the premium winter wheat.
11. Arbikie Haar
Average Price: $38.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 43% ABV
Why We Like it: Arbikie Haar has a fresh and crisp taste characteristic of its farm-to-bottle approach.
“I no longer know If I wish to drown myself in love, vodka or the sea.”
— Franz Kafka, German-speaking Bohemian Novelist and Short-story Writer
It imparts a delicate earthiness and subtle sweetness with a smooth and silky texture.
10. Purity
Average Price: $3.99 – $26.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Purity vodka has a remarkably smooth and clean taste with a subtle sweetness that will surely please your palate.
The flavor profile is delicate and refined, with hints of cereal grain that complements the natural sweetness of soft winter wheat and barley.
9. Haku
Average Price: $29.99 – $34.49 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Haku vodka has a unique and delicate flavor, characterized by using Japanese white rice as the base ingredient.
You’ll love it for its subtle sweetness with hints of vanilla and a gentle floral note.
8. Broken Shed
Average Price: $26.34 – $29.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Broken Shed vodka, also known as New Zealand’s premium vodka, has a smooth and mellow taste and gentle sweetness.
This unique alcohol is known for its exceptional purity, and its flavor has a subtle floral and citrus note that balances its creamy, buttery texture.
7. Hangar 1 Fog Point Vodka
Average Price: $51.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Hangar 1 Fog Point is the first vodka crafted using fresh water collected from the fog in San Francisco [2].
This straight vodka delivers elegant hints of pear, citrus, and honeysuckle and has a smooth texture with a warm and gentle finish that’s both subtle and complex.
6. Stolichnaya Elit
Average Price: $27.99 – $33.59 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Stolichnaya Elit is a superior vodka with an exceptionally smooth taste.
It’s widely recognized as one of the best brands for its rich and complex flavor, with hints of anise and spice balanced by its subtle sweetness.
5. Absolut Elyx
Average Price: $20.99 – $49.49 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 42.3% ABV
Why We Like it: Absolut vodka (Elyx) is popular that offers a smooth and luxurious taste, making it a great alternative to Russian Standard and many other brands.
Like its original vodka, Elyx is a sipping alcohol with a rich, creamy texture and luscious, nutty mouthfeel gliding over your palate.
4. Ketel One
Average Price: $26.99 – $43.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Ketel One is a premium vodka and is distilled as a small batch vodka [1] to ensure quality, with hints of citrus and honey fragrance.
It delivers a crisp, sweet-tingling taste with a hint of vanilla beans, adding a sweetness you’ll surely enjoy in straight shots.
3. Grey Goose
Average Price: $41.81 – $59.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Grey Goose is a premium French vodka (like Ciroc) that’s exceptionally smooth with a delicate and floral aroma, perfect to drink neat on any occasion.
This smooth alcohol has tasting notes of citrus, a light sweetness, and a bold toffee finish, perfect for sipping neat.
2. Belvedere Vodka
Average Price: $41.79 – $54.99 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Belvedere is a luxury vodka with a subtle hint of lemon zest that adds a bright and refreshing taste to the light vanilla and clotted cream notes.
This Polish vodka stands out for its exceptional smoothness and rich and velvety texture compared to other high-quality.
1. Chopin Potato Vodka
Average Price: $29.99 – $36.37 (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like it: Chopin Potato is the smoothest vodka on our list, perfect for drinking neat, and is naturally gluten-free, made from locally grown potatoes.
This potato vodka has a subtle green apple and vanilla aroma with a smooth and velvety texture, providing a creamy mouthfeel.
FAQs
What’s the best cheap vodka to drink straight?
The best cheap, high-quality vodka you can drink straight is Reyka which ranges from $27.99 to $37.99, with 40% ABV, delivering a crisp, clean, and smooth flavor with a slightly sweet finish.
What’s the best flavored vodka to drink straight?
The best-flavored vodka you can drink straight is Grey Goose La Poire.
It is a great vodka infused with the essence of ripe Anjou pears, delivering a delicate and subtle pear flavor that’s not overpowering, with a hint of sweetness.
In A Nutshell
Finding the best easy-drinking vodkas can be challenging, considering many vodkas are available on the market.
If you enjoy a neutral, classic taste with distinctive character, Hangar 1 Fog Point, Arbikie Haar, and Broken Shed are for you.
If you prefer a smooth and clean taste, Reyka, Nikka Coffey, and Purity are excellent choices.
In any case, you can try out the other party drink options on our list that might interest you until you find the perfect vodka for your taste buds.
References:
- https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7691351-nolet-family-distillery-ketel-one-vodka/
- https://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/slideshow/10-top-lesser-known-spirits-adventurous-drinkers/hangar-1-fog-point-vodka/
