Those should add a silky, smooth texture to spirit and decrease any alcohol burn.
The hallmark of vodka is its multiple distillations. More into spicy, savory tastes? Go for Absolut Elyx (view at ). If you’re a fan of sweeter flavors, then Crystal Head (view at ) or Tito’s (view at ) might be your jam. And he looks for a creamy mouthfeel without a cloying glycerin texture, as well as a clean, mouthwatering finish.įrom big, bold, and spicy to smooth and sweet, or anything in between, there’s a vodka out there for every palate. With the help of our experts, below you'll find a curated list of the best vodkas to get right now. With that said, how should you decide among them? Charles Joly, spirits tasting judge and founder of Crafthouse Cocktails, says “Most people want something relatively neutral, but that doesn't mean it has to lack character.” When he judges a vodka, he considers the quality of the distillate: “It shouldn’t have an aggressive burn." He wants an aroma that hints at the raw material used to make the vodka, be it grapes, potatoes, or grain. In April 2020, though, the bureau dropped the definition that held vodka back, acknowledging something that experts know: vodkas are wildly diverse, distilled using everything from grains to grapes, milk to maple sap. It was even long defined as "without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color" by The Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). An unaged spirit distilled and filtered repeatedly to achieve smoothness and clarity, vodka has had a reputation for blandness.