5 Great Premium Vodkas | Alcohol Professor

Love it or not, vodka is one of the most popular spirits in the United States. According to the Distilled Spirits Council, it was the top selling spirit in the Unites States in 2024, with sales totaling $7.2 billion.

While some people turn their noses up at vodka, deeming it a “flavorless” spirit, it’s versatile because it suits most cocktails without being overpowering. And a premium vodka can be luxurious when sipped on its own. Because vodka does have taste! It’s subtle, but vodka has flavor nuances, whether it’s made from grains, potatoes, grapes, honey (yes, vodka can be sourced from bees!), and more, its raw materials evoke differences in mouthfeel and flavor. For example, a premium vodka made from high-end grains can be velvety and have hints of freshly baked bread, while vodka made from grapes can be subtly sweet.

What makes a vodka “premium” is debatable, many believe it depends on the distillation and filtration process. The purer, the better; that’s a general rule. The cleanliness of the water is key, but so is the quality of the raw ingredients, which might just play the biggest role in aroma, taste, and drinkability.

Osmia Vodka

$98, 750 ml.

This luxury vodka comes from Queen Bee Distilling, a women-owned company based in Texas. Co-founders Catharine Faulconer and Kim Martin are at the helm of this female-focused, allergen- and additive-free vodka made from raw, Texas honey and organic sugarcane. It is free of grains, nightshades, chemicals, gluten, and glycerin, which is clearly labeled on each bottle for transparency. Osmia’s founders are proud to promote sustainability, since using bees as a resource reduces water usage and lowers their carbon footprint. And it all comes in a pretty package—its hexagon-shaped bottle has hidden nods to things the owners love—an art deco- style logo on the cap, glass flowers draped over the sides, a label shaped like a bee, and an inside, back label that depicts vibrant, pink roses.

Tasting notes

Osmia Vodka has crisp, clean, citrusy nose, and a rich palate. Its texture is full-bodied, and the finish is long-lasting and has lingering floral notes. Savor it neat, over ice, in a dirty martini, or in any cocktail.

Barr Hill

$60.99, 750 ml.

Barr Hill vodka is another high-end spirit made with raw, local honey, yet this one is made in a Vermont-based distillery. To make the vodka, they ferment honey, water, and yeast, and turn it into a “mead,” and then it’s distilled through “Phyllis,” which is a still named after the head distiller’s grandmother. What makes this unique is that unlike many other vodkas that are distilled 5, 10, or even 20 times, they only distill it 2 times. Kurstin King, Head Bartender at Barr Hill Cocktail Bar, says she believes that if they were to distill it more, the vodka would lose its taste and richness. And due to the premium quality of the honey, it’s a clean spirit that boasts a distinctive aroma and mouthfeel. The distilling team also makes all cuts for the vodka by hand, using human sensory unlike many other distilleries that utilize a fully automated process.

Tasting Notes

Barr Hill vodka has hints of beeswax and an aroma of buttercream frosting. On the palate, it is rich and mouthcoating. King describes it as dry but with “hints of vanilla and croissant on the tongue.” Sip it on the rocks, or in a classic martini, paired with a splash of well-made dry or blanc vermouth (King, suggests Dolin and Cocchi extra dry), and a twist of lemon.

Belvedere 10

$150, 750 ml.

Paying homage to Belvedere’s origins, this spirit is inspired by the 1910 vodka-making process, when the distillery was first established. It has remastered its original recipe and begins with a single harvest of organic Diamond Rye that’s grown in a field in a northeast Poland estate. Annually, the spirit is crafted in small batches and distilled four times. Once distilled, it rests for exactly ten months in order to marry its flavors and reinforce the spirit’s velvety mouthfeel. In addition to Belvedere 10’s impeccable taste, the bottle is quite stunning—its design has 10 levels and distinctive diamond shapes to symbolize the Diamond Rye from which it is sourced.

Tasting Notes

On the nose, Belvedere has bright notes of cacao, coconut, vanilla, and a hint of lemon. The mouthfeel is creamy and leads to a subtle sweetness that exudes caramel and coffee. Its finish is smooth and has lingering hints of nutty praline and dark cacao. Due to its smoothness, Belvedere is best served over ice or in a martini.

Hanson Original Vodka

MSRP $30, 750 ml.

Hanson Original Vodka is made in Northern California’s wine country from organic grapes. The process starts by turning the grapes into wine, and then it’s distilled through a process that uses a combination pot and 50-plate column. Brandon Hanson, co-founder, owner, and master blender of Hanson of Sonoma, says he believes that their original organic vodka is unique because of its 100 percent grape base, but he also gives credit to its unique fermentation and distillation process, which makes for “a very smooth spirit and less bite on the finish and more mouthfeel.” This family-run distillery also makes infused vodkas with robust, organic ingredients, and the original is their flagship and base for all their vodkas—it’s pure and delightful!

Tasting Notes

Hanson is bright on the nose and has subtle, citrus and floral notes. The palate is smooth and silky, rendering a balance of subtle sweetness from the organic grapes and a creamy texture. Its finish is long and crisp, which makes it ideal for enjoying over ice to highlight its smoothness, or in a martini. It also works well in fresh, citrus-forward craft cocktails.

St. George All Purpose Vodka

MSP $34.99, 750 ml.

St. George All Purpose Vodka is sourced from local California Bartlett pears. It’s made in St. George Spirits in Alameda, California, in a distillery that first began making pear brandy in 1982 before expanding its offerings. To make the vodka, they distill it from their flagship pear brandy up to 95.1% ABV. The resulting distillate is then blended with a non-GMO grain-neutral spirit before it is filtered. Master distiller Lance Winters says that the beauty of their All Purpose Vodka lies in its soft, round texture and subtle floral notes that come from the inclusion of pear distillate.

Winters also disavows the notion that the key to great vodka is purity achieved through multiple distillations and complex filtrations, as this vodka is only distilled once. “We believe that great vodka comes from selecting the right raw materials to work with, and then allowing their characteristics to shine through in the finished product.”

Tasting Notes

This vodka is approachable and has a rich, lush mouthfeel. The inclusion of pear adds soft floral notes and a subtle sweetness on the finish. It can be sipped chilled with a twist, or with dry vermouth to taste. Winters also recommends using it in a dirty martini or a vodka tonic. It also works well with espresso martinis