Types of Vodka

Vodka is probably the fastest popularity gaining liquor. The word vodka finds its roots in a Russian word, which means 'little water'. It's a colorless liquor, mainly containing water and alcohol along with a few of the following - wheat, potato, barley, corn, molasses or beets. Vodka is a very versatile spirit and can be drunk either neat, on the rocks, or more popularly in cocktails like Long Island Iced Tea, Red Eye, Bloody Mary, and in the entire martini family.

Different types of Vodka

There is no internationally accepted standard classification of vodka. But, there are a few broadly classified variations of vodka according to place of origin, flavor or brewing procedure. The two most basic types are - neutral/non-flavored and flavored.

Neutral Vodka
The earliest Russian vodka was a neutral spirit and had strong alcoholic aroma. In Poland, the extent of purity of vodka has been considered while grading the liquor, according to which, the variations of vodka are: standard, premium, and deluxe. The Russians also implement their own system under which Russian Vodka is categorized as high-quality and export-worthy. Moreover, in Russia, vodka that is labeled strong contains more than 55% alcohol by volume.

In the United States, neutral vodka is called classic or regular. Here, vodkas are to be free of distinct taste or aroma and hence most of the brands in the US taste more or less the same. Vodkas are differentiated on the basis of their price, brand name and alcohol content.

Flavored Vodka
Flavors added to neutral vodka forms flavored vodka. Originally, vodka has been utilized to lace other drinks because of its neutrality. The origin of flavored vodka was due to an effort to deodorize the strong alcoholic taste of earlier neutral vodka. With time flavors became the essence of vodka brewing and various brands began to showcase their skills and expertise with innovative flavoring. There are many traditional flavored Russian and Polish vodka types. These include: Limonnaya Vodka (lemon), Kubanskaya Vodka (lemon and orange), Pertsovka Vodka (peppercorns and chili peppers), Okhotnichya or Hunter Vodka (ginger, coffee, cloves, lemon, anise, and other spices), Zubrovka Vodka (buffalo/bison grass), Starka Vodka (might contain dried fruit, fruit tree leaves, brandy, port, etc.). Besides these traditional flavored vodka drinks, recently there has many new introductions of contemporary flavors. Of these the most popular flavors usually include fruit flavors like oranges, apples, berries, and more.

Regional Touch

This is another type of vodka classification. Each region producing vodka has its type casting which reflects culture and heritage of that region. Eastern Europe is known as the hub of vodka. Potato and grain-based vodka is the specialty of the Polish. Other vodka giants like Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine mostly use wheat and rye. Wheat along with other grains are made use of in vodka production in the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Western European countries including the Britain, Holland and Germany mostly produce grain-based vodka while France and Italy make use of grapes and fruit in producing vodka. The US and Canada make use of grains and molasses and so is the case with Caribbean and Australia.

Famous Vodka Brands

Considering the fact that there are numerous types of vodka brands in the market and so many claiming their vodka as the best one, choosing the perfect vodka can be a headache. A list of the best vodka brands can definitely help.

• Absolut
• Smirnoff
• Chopin
• Armadale
• Belvedere
• White Diamond
• Ketel One
• Boru
• Finlandia
• Popov
• SKYY
• Gray Goose
• Three Olives
• Vox

With the rising variety and choice in selection, this clear liquor is here to stay. Vodka is gaining popularity faster than any other drink, and has spread its wings in Asia and Africa. This is where we can conclude this invoice. Drink responsibly!