A quintessential item for my summer, a refresher during my spring, a bracing backbone to a fall, and a warming hint of home in the winter, vodka is truly an evergreen spirit.
Skilled in the subtle, master of commingling, and sometimes tarted up with a flavor infusion, vodka is one of the most pure and innocent spirits but is perfectly adaptable to almost any occasion.

With a slight flavor profile and crisp finish, I encourage all of you to give vodka the attention it deserves. Much like its more spicy cousin tequila, vodka is often lambasted and abused through a lens of poor college-age decisions.
However, this gives the entire branch of spirits a bad rap. If we don’t let Jack Daniels ruin whisky for us (more on that later, don’t worry), then we shouldn’t let vodka named after some unpronounceable Russian author deter us from enjoying the more mature and invigorating options surrounding us.

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What follows is a brief outline of all the exciting and, believe it or not, different flavors and forms even a straight vodka can take. Truly a flavor based in nuance, vodkas primarily have an impact based on their base grain, how many times they’ve been distilled, and how they were produced.
Vodka is fascinating in that it can be distilled from any organic material (there’s one made of oysters!) and takes its flavor from the ingredients while not having an aging process like brown liquors. Vodka can also be produced anywhere in the world, which gives it a much more international vibe. With even a little practice, you’ll be able to confidently pick out any of the major vodkas from a blind lineup.
The primary focus of this article is to highlight what I think is both good for the flavor and good for the price. As always, I aim to highlight spirits that are find-able at almost any liquor store and affordable for, hopefully all. Vodka, unfortunately more so than almost any other type of spirit, is ranked in the popular imagination based on the success of their various ad agencies.
Think, after all, of how many other spirits run such incessant ad campaigns as Grey Goose, Kettle One, etc. So, buckle up, and get your cocktail shaker ready. It’s time to explore some vodka.

» Related: You might enjoy this article on the Best Bourbon Brands, all under $100.

Best Vodka Brands

Now let’s get into 10 vodkas so good, you won’t believe they’re under $100.

1.Absolut Elyx

Absolut Elyx. I couldn’t not list my favorite vodka, and anyone who knows me well enough would be appalled if I omitted this quintessential item. I’ve listed the Elyx variety (although I often drink just regular) as it is slightly better and slightly more easier to appreciate if you’re not used to vodka.
Elyx is made of single estate winter wheat, single source pure water, and is distilled in a copper still, they brought back to use from 1921. They boast that every element of the production comes from within 15 miles of their distillery, which gives it a pure, crisp, and sustainable factor. Elyx has a stronger citrus taste than the regular absolute and does great with any citrus garnish.
It is best served directly from the freezer and had either as a sipping vodka or with simple ingredients (a vodka soda, martini, etc). It would be wasted on heavier fruit juices – for that use a regular Absolut. It is bottled at 42.3% ABV and can be had for around $25-35 a bottle.

2. Bootlegger New York Craft Vodka

Distilled a wonderful 6 times entirely from American corn, this vodka comes from Roscoe, New York. The mission of the distillery that produces it — Do Good Spirits distillery — is to produce high-quality spirits while aiding their local economy.
Once distilled, they charcoal filter it and blend it with water from the Catskill Mountains which completes its flavor profile. Bootlegger has a hint of green apple tartness with a peppery body. Astonishingly, it has almost no burn, but you’ll have to try that out for yourself.
It is bottled at 40% ABV and can be purchased for about $35.

3. Wheatley Vodka

Brought to you from the master distiller of Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, KT, Wheatley Vodka is a hidden gem of their collection. Much more famous for Buffalo Trace whisky, this little vodka punches far above its weight.
One of my favorite things about a vodka is how many times it is distilled and this one has been distilled an incredible 10 times – far above most. This gives it a very handsome taste profile and — in my perhaps apocryphal opinion — reduces the chances for some of the more common negative side effects of drinking large amounts of vodka.
Once it has completed this decade of distillation, it is triple-filtered and then bottled which results in a clean taste with a hint of vanilla.
Bottled at 41% ABV and perfect for almost any cocktail, or even just on the rocks, Wheatley Vodka can be purchased for about $24.

4. Absolut Peppar

I know, another Absolut! However, no list would truly be complete without this groundbreaking inclusion. You see, back in 1986 when Absolut as a brand was only seven years old, they launched not only their first flavored vodka but the world’s first flavored vodka.
It’s sometimes surprising to think of such a huge portion of any liquor store coming into existence only a few decades ago. Absolut Peppar caught on across the country as an easy and helpful way to make Bloody Marys. In almost no time at all, more flavors appeared from all sorts of vodka brands. The world had been changed.
Much like Elyx, Peppar is made of Swedish winter wheat from Åhus in a process started by Absolut (in 1879) called continuous distillation. Rather than having it all distilled, taken out of the machine, and run back through a number of times, continuous distillation doesn’t stop with a feed going into the machine of new distillate while the finished product is siphoned off.
During this process, the pepper flavoring is added. The final product has notes of chili, bell pepper, and especially jalapeño. Any drink where pepper is a bonus, this vodka is a must. It is bottled at 40% ABV and can be purchased for about $20.

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5. Belvedere Smogory Forest Single Estate Rye Vodka

Not just because it has a fabulously long name, this unique offshoot of the popular Belvedere Polish vodkas has a few exciting hallmarks. Distilled only three times from Dankowski Gold rye and artesian well water, it is then filtered twice.
Unlike some above brands, this small amount of distillation and filtration means that some of the impurities remain which gives this vodka more flavor. It handily retains the flavoring of the rye, but to this is added notes of caramel and honey. The overall impression is a much warmer vodka than most on this list and it produces the feeling of drinking something entirely different than vodka and even ends a little peppery.
Part of a rising trend, Smogory Forest is made on a single estate from wheat grown exclusively in Western Poland, which incidentally reduces its ecological impact. Wonderful where the vodka can shine, I would have this one with one, maybe two simple mixers (some like vermouth with this but vermouth in general isn’t my favorite) and lean more cocktail onion than olive.
Aim for crisp, light and the vodka will shine all on its own. It’s bottled at 40% ABV and can be purchased for about $37.

6. Woody Creek Distillers Potato Vodka

The first potato vodka on our list, a wonderfully funky option, and perfectly American, Woody Creek Distillers Vodka is wacky and fun. Distilled only from Rio Grande, taters grown by the distillers themselves in Colorado – the spuds are washed, mashed, and then stripped and distilled, a bold one time and then mixed with mountain spring water.
This single distillation, despite my earlier note on it, leaves much of the base in which makes it a very earthy, warm, vegetable, strong flavor. Perhaps not for the faint of heart (or those monsters who don’t like potatoes!), this vodka might have a strong start but it leaves almost no aftertaste so it is more of a flash in the pan that leaves you wanting more.
Best in cocktails that can take a punch – Woody Creek’s vodka can stand up to a classic blue cheese stuffed olive, a Bloody Mary, or any formidable cocktail. Save your citrus, it’s wasted here. It is also bottled at 40% ABV and can be purchased for about $30.

7. Air Vodka

Incredibly, and I don’t for the life of me understand this, Air Vodka is basically made from air. Billed as the world’s cleanest and most sustainable spirit, Air Vodka comes from a New York City tech company and is made from carbon dioxide, water, and sunshine.
In Brooklyn, this company has managed to create a solar-powered device which converts carbon emissions into ethyl-alcohol which both removes greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere and then miraculously turns them into booze. It is no surprise that this won them a prize from NASA!

» Related: You might enjoy this guide on the Best Gin Brands (Under $100).

Unsurprisingly, there is almost no taste to this since the base spirit is pure ethyl-alcohol, so when serve chilled, it simply tastes clean, crispy, smooth, and exceptionally virtuous. Drink it any time you want to be the most ecologically friendly person in the room and put it in any cocktail where you want it crisp and refreshing.
Bottled at 40% ABV it is unfortunately more pricey than any I wanted to recommend but it is so phenomenal and such an exciting breakthrough I couldn’t pass. It can be purchased for about $75 a bottle.

8. Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka

Another seemingly wacky one, Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka is produced from the whey left over from grass-grazed cow’s milk after making cheese. Using only this as the ingredient, this vodka is also zero waste (in that it consumes an item that is otherwise discarded) and has been delighting cow aficionados since 2012.
Black Cow is based on a farm in the heart of West Dorset, England and is produced entirely by hand on the farm that also houses their herd of 250 odd dairy cows. Delightfully, if you want to pair your vodka with cheese, you can also buy Black Cow cheese from the very same cows that can now get you drunk – ingenious.
Like many on this list, this vodka is touted by the distillers as being the smoothest vodka you’d taste, so I recommend you give it a shot just in case. Unsurprisingly, this vodka has a grassy, honey, and flowery (it’s advertised as having forsythia flower taste, but I’m not sure I can pick up that nuance) flavor with a nice creamy and vanilla round notes right around the middle.
Bottled at 40% ABV it is available for about $40. Again, this won’t be a surprise, but this vodka excels in either an espresso martini or something fun like an adult milkshake, white Russian, sgroppino, or anything in that style.

9. Cardinal Spirits Vodka

Sticking to the theme, this vodka is distilled in Bloomington, Indiana from white grapes, making it a more heartland alternative to the very popular CÎROC from France. The reason Cardinal makes the list instead, is that it is slightly better in flavor and slightly less expensive.
According to their website, they intentionally distill to 190.5 proof instead of the more common 192, which retains just a bit of the grape aroma and flavor before it undergoes its final charcoal filtering. What results is a crisp, slightly tart, and very refreshing vodka that is much lighter and more floral than many other entries on this list.
Also according to their distiller, this is a very smooth vodka that many enjoy straight, owing to its lightness and flavor, but I leave that to your personal preference. For myself, I recommend putting it in something berry filled and fizzy, maybe a dash of some berry syrup or juice topped off with tonic or soda, and had with a bright garnish like a mint sprig.
This also pairs excellently with champagne or Prosecco, so adventure during the warmer months and enjoy this with all your friends in a large pitcher format. It is bottled at 40% ABV and can be purchased for around $25 a bottle.

10. Stoli / Stolichnaya

Finally, a classic. This brand needs a little bit of background since it is a little misunderstood and a lot litigated internationally. The short and simple facts of the case that are not in dispute are: when the Soviet Union dissolved, Stolichnaya (Russian: Столичная) the ownership has been in dispute.
In 1999 SPI Group was sold the factory and trademarks to Stolichnaya. In 2000, they fled Russia when Vladimir Putin came to power and they have resided in Luxembourg ever since. In 2002, the name was shortened to Stoli and that is what continues to be sold today (although many of their new labels also use the fuller name).
That same year, the Russian government created a state-company (FKP Soyuzplodoimport) which claimed the transfer never occurred and has been engaged in lawsuits against SPI ever since. Since the move to Luxembourg, Stoli has been distilled and bottled in Latvia.
According to their label, Stoli began in 1938 so they have one of the longest pedigrees on this list. It subsequently has a different process: the process begins with a fermentation of wheat and rye grains combined with artesian water, which takes about 60 hours.
Then the product is distilled three times to 96.4% ABV which is diluted to what goes into the bottle by the same water used in the fermentation. It is then filtered through quartz, sand, activated charcoal, and lastly through cloth. You can see how it follows a different method which results in a different final flavor.
Stoli is the backbone of any vodka lineup at a bar and is probably the most universal one on this list. It is perfect for almost anything you’re making as the flavor is so pure, crisp, and mixable, that it can assist any cocktail. I never drink it straight, but I’m sure there are some who might.
It has a mild aroma of fruit with a tiny flavor of citrus which finishes very neat and leaves a tiny peppery burn. Great for mules, martinis, and any mixing, you definitely need a bottle of this at home. For the adventurous, it comes in a variety of flavors, many of which are even good. It is bottled at 40% ABV and is available for around $20.

Wrapping Things Up

Hopefully these few words give you a greater enjoyment in the diversity and intricacies of vodka. Not only a cheap liquor to toss in a drink to boost its ABV without altering the flavor – it has a complexity, individuality, and enjoyment all its own.
And, as you read above, it is one of the most ecologically friendly spirits so you can enjoy it while feeling like you’re really helping out the environment by using a waste product, anyway. Really, it’s less like you’re drinking and more like you’re being an environmental activist! So dive in, mix some cocktails, freeze those bottles, and enjoy the beautifully nuanced world of vodka.

About Elijah

^{Elijah C. Mills is a native of Indiana, but now resides in Washington, D.C. A lover of all things ethanol and bow ties, you can find him out and about at various D.C. events. He is an active Episcopalian and works as a Parish Administrator at a DC Episcopal church. He’s always happy to meet over a drink and can be easily talked into most social events.}