Drinks · spirits
Vodka — the cleanest of the spirits
Vodka is made not to draw attention to itself: a good vodka is neutral on purpose, not by accident. That is exactly why it is the most common cocktail base, and exactly why its quality is the hardest to put into words.
In short
- Strength
- 37.5–40% vol, rarely 45–50%
- Raw material
- wheat, rye, barley, maize or potato
- Process
- fermentation, repeated distillation, filtration, dilution with water
- Serving
- −18 °C to +6 °C
- Glass
- small shot glass or a chilled tumbler
- In cocktails
- Bloody Mary, Moscow Mule, Cosmopolitan, Espresso Martini
In the European Union vodka must be at least 37.5% vol. Anything below that is a liqueur or a flavoured drink, however much the bottle looks the part.
What vodka is
Vodka comes down to two things: the fermented base and how carefully the spirit is cleaned. Grain or potato is fermented, the liquid is distilled several times, and finally water brings it down to bottling strength.
The most argued-about step is filtration. Charcoal filters take out harshness and off-notes; the more filtration, the more neutral the result. Some producers deliberately leave a little of the raw material in — rye vodka is softer and faintly sweet, potato vodka creamier, wheat vodka drier.
Water is not a side ingredient but half the bottle. That is why producers talk about their spring water and are not entirely posturing: hardness and minerals are noticeable in the mouth.
Styles
What matters is not price but what the drink has to do — be sipped neat or disappear into a mix.
Neutral, nothing added. Good ice-cold and in cocktails where the base must not push forward.
Lemon, pepper, honey, blackcurrant. A shortcut to a simple cocktail, but the flavour then dictates everything else.
Soft, with a faintly sweet finish. For people who find plain vodka too sharp.
Thicker, creamier texture. Noticeable mainly when drunk ice-cold and neat.
Small batch, less filtration, more character. More interesting as a gift than in a cocktail.
How to drink it
Four things that change the result more than the price of the bottle.
Chill it, do not freeze it solid
In the freezer vodka turns syrupy and hides both its faults and its virtues. To taste anything, keep it at +4…+6 °C.
The glass should be cold too
A warm glass warms the drink in seconds. Rinse it in cold water or keep glasses in the fridge.
Small sips, not the whole shot
Neat vodka opens on the second sip. Rushed, all you taste is the alcohol.
Water alongside
A glass of plain water is not politeness but practice: it keeps your palate working and slows the pace.
What to mix it with and what to eat
Mixing is easy because the base is neutral: tomato juice, ginger beer, grapefruit, cranberry, strong coffee. One rule holds — the fewer the ingredients, the more the ice matters. Melting ice dilutes a drink faster than you can finish it.
On the food side the old logic works: fatty and salty. Pickled herring, salted fish, pickles, mushrooms, Baltic sprat, hot potatoes. Fat coats the mouth and softens the edge — the tradition has a reason behind it.
Common questions
Can vodka be kept in the freezer?
It can, it will not freeze at −18 °C. But the taste turns dull and thick. A shame for good vodka, convenient for cheap vodka.
How long does an open bottle keep?
Practically indefinitely with the cap on and the bottle upright. Spirits do not spoil; over time they simply lose aroma.
How many units are in one shot?
40 ml of 40% vodka is about 1.3 units, roughly 13 g of pure alcohol. See the units page.
What makes expensive vodka better?
Mostly purity and water — fewer off-notes, a smoother finish. In a cocktail most of that difference disappears; neat, it shows.