“Does it matter which vodka we choose?” a friend asked me the other day, as we perused the shelves of a bottle shop for that evening’s cocktail ingredients.
Resoundingly, YES, was my answer – because vodkas can differ enormously in style depending on what they’re made from and how they’re distilled. There are some grievous offenders, but they’re not all a case of style over substance.
I tend to think of choosing vodka as a bit like choosing white paint – you think they’re all the same until you see them side-by-side, and then you lose your mind over it. My recommendation would be to get a few friends over and do a little taste-off, blind – and you may discover you’re not quite the brand-loyal vodka lover that you imagined.
The raw material should give you a good steer on what style to expect (although the more highly-distilled and industrial the vodka, the more neutral it’s likely to be). Wheat vodkas are characteristically clean and smooth with a little sweetness – a classic example is Grey Goose, which is distilled from wheat grown in Picardie, the ‘bread basket of France.’ The result is a classy, rounded vodka with notes of crusty white baguette and silky crème pâtissière. An oldie but a goodie in my view – especially in a Martini.
Three times the price is Grey Goose Altius, an ultra-luxury variant that is filtered at sub-zero temperatures to replicate high-altitude glacial crystallization and blended with water from alpine springs. The brand’s intent, I believe, was to create an expression that was more mineral and intense. But I actually find it a bit too bracing.
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Also in the wheat department, I like Ramsbury Single Estate Vodka from Wiltshire in England, which has a subtle creaminess reminiscent of white chocolate. For a more laser-like take on that clean style, try Truman Vodka from Austria, which is made by the celebrated eau de vie producer Hans Reisetbauer. I was introduced to this one by New York’s marvellous cocktail bar Maison Premiere. “It has this incredible crystalline, textured quality to it,” says bar director William Elliot. “It sort of glitters in your mouth.”
Rye vodkas are often quite flavorsome, with a touch of nutty, peppery spice. Belvedere, which is made from organic, Polish rye, is the genre at its most polished and complex. Potocki, also Polish, is favored by many celebrated Martini haunts including Duke’s Bar in London.
Potato vodkas tend to be fatter and silkier – think mashed potato with lashings of butter. Chopin, from Poland, is a very luxurious example.
I wasn’t such a fan of her gin, but actor Emma Watson’s new Renais Vodka is a delight – distilled from French wine grapes, it’s delicately sweet, with cool, fresh notes of white flowers, meringue, and green grapes. It’s available through the Renais website from October 1.
Barley vodkas can be boldly fruity, to a degree that I don’t personally like. But if that’s up your street, then X Muse – from the art world power couple behind Edinburgh’s Jupiter Artland sculpture park – is very well-made.
Nikka Coffey Vodka – from Japanese whisky makers Nikka – is distilled from malted barley cut with corn, which adds some crisp definition that’s rather good (the word ‘Coffey’ here refers to type of column still the vodka’s distilled in, created by Aneas Coffey in 1830, rather than the hot drink).
And in the right hands, a blend of grains can offer the best of all worlds – my go-to for Martinis at home is the Polish vodka Konik’s Tail, which is made from rye, spelt, and wheat grown near the ancient Bialowieza Forest where wild Konik ponies graze. At its core it’s nutty, almost dark chocolate-y, but wrapped in a beginning and end that are elegant, fresh, and creamy.
Which is why I always maintain, when it comes to vodka, it really pays to be choosy.
