15 Best Tasting Vodkas To Drink In 2022

According to Atlas Obscura, Americans have had a torrid love affair with vodka for decades. The universal spirit pops up in all sorts of iconic drinks, from screwdrivers to Moscow Mules. One of the key selling points of this perennially popular clear liquor is the fact that it can go with and enhance just about anything. So whether you're opting for a spicy Bloody Mary with extra olives or a creamy, sweet White Russian, vodka has your back.

Although there's certainly no shortage of decadent and delicblaious drinks that you can stir up with your favorite classic vodka, there are plenty of surprisingly smooth and tasty vodkas that you can sip straight. These 15 vodkas get high marks for taste, sophistication, and total drinkability, and there's truly something for every budget and style. Whether you love your vodka neat or on the rocks, there's bound to be something on our list that will speak to you. Bottoms up!

Grey Goose Vodka hails from Picardie, France, and enjoys plenty of name recognition across the pond in the United States. It's got a lovely, clean, bright taste with no lingering bite on the end, making it the darling of bartenders and drink connoisseurs all over the world. Thanks to its gentle mouthfeel and easy endnote, it's also an excellent tasting and sipping vodka.

According to its website, Grey Goose uses Picardie winter wheat and spring water to produce its signature product. This simple and elegant recipe yields premium vodka that's the last word in simplicity and perfection. Since Grey Goose has a nearly universal appeal and a more neutral flavor, it's great for people who are first branching out into higher-end tasting vodkas. You won't get too much burn on the back end, but you will get the whole, round, easy-to-drink flavor of the vodka in each sip.

Northern California's Hangar 1 is a fabulous boutique distillery situated in an authentic airplane hangar from the Second World War (via Hangar 1). This funky and fun distillery specializes in premium non-flavored vodkas and unique, sophisticated offerings. According to the brand's tasting notes, the Buddha's Hand Citron is a deluxe upgrade to your typical lemon vodka with plenty of aromatics and flavor notes. The Honeycomb Vodka is lovely and nuanced too. This Hangar 1 type has got plenty of complex honey flavor without being overly sweet. Both options, as well as Hangar 1's flagship unflavored vodka, are exceptional tasting liquors.

If you prefer your vodka mixed rather than straight or on the rocks, Hangar 1 pairs perfectly with rich herbal drinks or light fruit cocktails. According to Cool Hunting, Hangar 1's vodka is a blend of Midwestern wheat and Viognier grapes, which lends the spirit just the tiniest hint of fruit flavor.

Beluga Noble Russian Vodka comes straight out of Russia's Mariinsky and Arkhangelsk distilleries, which are heritage locations that have been producing fine Beluga products for well over 100 years (via Beluga Group). Although these distilleries churn out some great, tasty liquors, Beluga Noble Russian Vodka continues to be one of its most popular spirits and flagship products, according to its website.

Beluga Noble Russian Vodka is a natural product made of malt spirit and freshwater. As such, you get a nice clean finish that pairs perfectly with your favorite cocktail or works well all on its own. If you want to get fancy with your tasting vodka, try Beluga Epicure. This particular bottle is a fantastic fusion of exquisite Beluga Noble Russian Vodka and Lalique, a French jewelry design house. Beluga Epicure is the last word in taste and style, presented in a unique, handsome decanter. 

From Rigby, Idaho, Square One Organic Vodka is part of the Square One Organic Spirits family. According to the company's story, Square One is the brainchild of Allison Evanow, who designed the sustainably-focused business to create delicious and whimsical spirits sure to suit even the most discerning vodka lovers. A farm-to-bottle mission means that all Square One products are fully organic, tasty, and packed to the gills with wholesome flavors.

The Square One classic vodka is crisp and versatile; this bottle is made for sipping on a hot summer's day. Other flavored vodkas are next-level yummy. According to the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Authority, Square One Botanical is full of tantalizing flavors like chamomile, rosemary, and pear. The result is a delicately flavored spirit that works well in herbaceous drinks and more standard fruit-forward cocktails. Since every bottle has tons of clean, garden-quality flavors, Square One Organic Vodka is a great sipping option for anyone.

Ketel One Vodka is a fantastic choice for those who want a soft, light-tasting vodka that still has the right amount of crispness and heart. Hailing from Schiedam, the Netherlands, the secret to Ketel One's scrumptious success comes from its age-old distillation process (via Ketel One). Its modern manufacturing process is 300 years in the making, refined and distilled in copper stills since 1691. It goes without saying that the premium, soft, nuanced taste is the joyful end product of years of trial and error.

Classic Ketel One Vodka is exceptionally tasty all on its own but also with just the slightest smidge of citrus. If you want to take things up a notch (or five), try the 325 Nolet Anniversary vodka (via Ketel One), a celebratory draught in a handsome bottle. Although Ketel One finishes smooth and has a luscious and lovely mouthfeel, there is still a cheeky, pepper end note that gives this drink a little kick and reminds you how special it truly is (via Difford's Guide).

Although Mother Russia gets a lot of credit for bringing us the delicious drink we know as vodka, Thrillist points out that this spirit may have actually come from Russia's neighbor to the west; Poland. If Poland's famous Chopin Vodka is any indication, this country certainly gives Russia a run for its money when it comes to making the good stuff. Chopin's distillery has been producing high-quality vodkas for centuries, using time-honored techniques and even preparing much of the product by hand. Tradition and quality are big for Chopin, and you can taste the artistry in every glass.

Chopin is a great gluten-free option as much as it is an exceptional tasting vodka, thanks to its creamy, rich consistency and subtle fruity and sweet flavors. Although Chopin brings the flavor and taste, you won't get any burn afterward. Instead, it finishes in a smooth and subtle way, making it ideal for people who don't like strong vodkas with a biting, alcoholic finish.

Ukraine's Khor Vodka comes from the Khortytsa Distillery and is the mouthwatering end-product of first-class technology and refined manufacturing. Khor is exported to over 87 countries, including the United States, where it is famous for having a velvety, light texture and gentle taste. Like many top-tasting vodkas, Khor doesn't have a biting, or burning aftertaste, making it an excellent choice for people who don't like the traditional sting of vodka. Instead, you'll get a clean, crisp, classic vodka taste in every sip.

Although their filtering and distillation process is top-secret (via Khor), the team of master distillers does use copper pots and stills to remove any and all impurities out of their vodkas. The result is a product packed with unadulterated, pure vodka taste and devoid of any distractions. We recommend enjoying it ice-cold and neat or over whisky rocks so that you can get the full impact of this great spirit.

Belvedere is another great Polish vodka from the town of Żyrardów. This vodka features a rye-based formula and comes with centuries of vodka-making experience. Belvedere claims its distillation process is a 600 year old Polish tradition, although, according to Difford's Guide, the distillery is relatively new. Still, most agree that you can taste the expertise of those generations in every sip of Belvedere spirits. Belvedere has a very bold flavor as a rye-based vodka, yet it is still sophisticated and finishes gently. This vodka is kosher, made of precious few ingredients, and goes down delicious whether over ice or neat.

Belvedere's classic vodka is a great thing to have on hand if you want a cold, smooth spirit that will give you the best traditional vodka experience, but its flavored vodkas are tasty as well. The Blackberry and Lemongrass Vodka (via Belvedere) is an upscale, fruit-forward, bright sip that has plenty of authentic blackberry flavor infused throughout each pour. The lemongrass adds a zing to things, and the herbal finish makes this vodka one to celebrate.

Air Vodka from Air Company proves that you don't need to be a generations-old vodka house in Europe to make outstanding spirits. According to Forbes, Air Vodka only contains two highly unexpected ingredients; CO2 and water. It's a carbon-negative, ultra planet-friendly option that is made from a truly cutting edge process and features superb taste. If you care about the Earth, or simply want to sip on a revolutionary new style of vodka, Air Vodka is for you. 

Air Company is more than a gimmick. The company uses a patented process to turn carbon dioxide into ethanol which is then distilled through solar electricity to become vodka. Although Air Vodka has completely unconventional ingredients, it's no slouch in the taste department. Expect a crisp, smooth, highly-pleasing finish with no burn. You can stir it into what Air Company calls an "Airtini" or simply enjoy it all on its own with a slice of lime or a small wheel of orange. Air Vodka is a tasty alternative to potato, corn, or rice spirits, and it's certainly a must-try for environmentally conscious drinkers.

Olives are the base of Kástra Elión Vodka, a unique artisan offering from Greece. Although olives and grain make up the bulk of Kástra Elión Vodka's ingredients, you won't get an overpowering salty taste from the end product. Instead, the vodka is smooth, rich, and has just the slightest hint of tang and pepper (via Kástra Elión). It's a great vodka to stir into your next Bloody Mary or enjoy shaken, not stirred, in a martini. You can also sip on it straight to relish all of the creamy goodness.

According to Kástra's website, the olives destined for the Elión Vodka line are handpicked and used almost immediately, giving the spirit tons of fresh punch and just the right amount of Mediterranean vibes. If you want a great vodka to sip on a sun-drenched patio in July, get your hands on a bottle of Kástra Elión Vodka. Savor it straight up, chilled over ice, or with a few olives and a slice of lime.

Hawaii's Ocean Vodka celebrates the islands' bounty by using ocean mineral water from 3,000 feet below the sea as one of the foundational ingredients. Ocean Vodka comes in a cute, spherical blue bottle that will look just as good on your bar as the vodka will taste in your cocktails. According to its website, Ocean Vodka's seawater starts in northern Greenland before flowing south to tropical Hawaii and landing thousands of feet underneath Kona. That alone gives its vodka a very cool edge, but it also lends the spirit a multi-faceted taste with a slightly briny, minerally tilt.

Ocean Vodka finishes smoothly and without any sharp aftertaste. The mineral edge makes it a great vodka to drink with a sprig of rosemary tucked inside. You can also enjoy it on the rocks as a tasting vodka or neat if you don't want to dilute it. If you're sampling Ocean Vodka in its native Hawaii, swap out ice for whiskey rocks that won't melt on you in the hot sun.

If you want a sweet, mellow, tasting vodka, Żubrówka Bison Grass is a very solid pick. Part of the Central European Distribution Corporation's (CEDC) international family of spirits, Żubrówka is a unique vodka with a special secret inside; Bison grass. According to company information, each bottle of Żubrówka has specially dried blades of bison grass from the Białowieża forest infused during the distillation process. Evidently, this delectable grass is harvested from the wild by specialized "pickers," making Żubrówka Bison Grass vodka even more intriguing.

According to Eater, Żubrówka's distillers run fresh vodka through piles of sweet grass, letting it pick up all of the flavors before bottling. The bison grass lends a sweet, nutty flavor to the vodka that makes it the ideal tasting and sipping vodka. Thanks to this unique process, Żubrówka Bison Grass vodka is slightly amber-hued and very distinct. However, the final touch of bison grass is more than just an extra ingredient. According to CEDC, bison grass is considered sacred by many people in Poland. 

Haku Vodka hails from Japan and is forged from fine Japanese white rice. Although rice might seem like an unconventional ingredient to use in vodka, Haku Vodka, from the House of Suntory, rivals any other grain or potato-based spirit. The first thing that you'll notice is the minimalistic, lovely presentation and crystal clear product. Haku Vodka is clean, has a soft mouthfeel, and there's the slightest amount of sweetness to round it out perfectly. Haku is also highly impurity-free, thanks to bamboo filtration and a meticulous distillation process.

Haku's classic vodka is an exceptional addition to your home bar, thanks to its nuanced and unique taste. While this spirit is excellent in your favorite mixed drinks, it truly shines when served all on its own. Since Haku defines it as a distinctive vodka with a slightly floral and sweet nose, sipping straight is the best way to enjoy this luxury liquor from start to finish.

The term "summer in a glass" gets tossed around a lot, but it's seriously applicable when referring to West Dorset Black Cow & English Strawberry Vodka. According to company information, Black Cow makes its tasty and potent spirits out of a very unconventional ingredient: milk. The distillers at Black Cow credit dairy as the not-so-secret ingredient that turns their vodka incredibly silky and "udderly" drinkable. Although the brand's classic spirit is fantastic for drinking vodka on the rocks or stirring into your favorite cocktail, the Black Cow & English Strawberry variety is something extraordinary.

Black Cow & English Strawberry is a bright blend of smooth, creamy, round vodka mixed with locally sourced fruit from the United Kingdom. Unlike many other fruit vodkas, this one is only made with strawberries and vodka, so it's not overly sweet or artificial tasting. Instead, you'll get a big berry burst in every sip. It's a great warm-weather vodka, served ice-cold and neat or over whiskey rocks. If you want to dress it up into a cocktail, try a splash of ginger ale and a tiny lime wedge, a recommended recipe by Luxurious Magazine.

Nemiroff is a celebrated Ukrainian vodka with a history that spans 150 years. According to its website, Nemiroff fuses classic recipes and techniques with more modern innovations, making for a vodka that tastes like a million bucks. Those in the know tend to agree. According to Forbes, Nemiroff's Burning Pear Vodka won a Global Spirits Masters Taste Master Award for its innovative and unique recipe. Nemiroff's Burning Pear is a deliberate fusion of honey, pear, and pepper where sweet meets heat in a playful and fun way.

If flavored vodkas aren't your jam, you can always go with one of their more classic offerings, like Nemiroff De Luxe. According to company information, Nemiroff De Luxe was "made for stout-hearted men" and has a strong punch of traditional vodka flavor, plus a gentle dose of linden flower. It's balanced, beautiful, and seriously sippable all on its own.