According to Drinks International (a British publication), vodka is the second most popular drink, second only to whisky. This means that vodka is the queen of alcoholic beverages, while whiskey is the king. Despite vodka’s simplicity, it falls into several categories today, including luxury. We will focus on this category and reveal the most famous Russian brands.
Premium vodka is a complex product. It takes into account many factors affecting quality, so its creation is a multi-stage and lengthy process that requires careful control. In particular, two nuances related to impeccable purity are important:
- The first is a perfect alcohol obtained by rectification.
- The second is crystal-clear, well-filtered water.
And that’s not all: modern types of Russian vodka, in addition to heat-shock and multi-stage purification, are also subjected to other production technologies. For example, they are enriched with natural flavors of additional ingredients by blending, infusion, and other methods.
In addition, vodka is always referred to as “Russian” because it is considered the national drink of the Russian people. It is there that the largest number of brands of alcohol are 40-degree products. Accordingly, the range of offers is quite broad, but not every one of them falls into the luxury category.
Therefore, we have collected the relevant information to make it easier for buyers to navigate the variety of offers presented on store shelves. So, we present the 12 best brands of vodka to your attention. But before that, let’s briefly familiarize ourselves with the history of this drink.
We offer you the chance to familiarize yourself with famous Russian vodka brands. The list is arranged not by elitism or quality but in alphabetical order. Each lover of this alcoholic beverage will be able to determine for themselves the most suitable version of the product.
Baikal
This is not just a vodka; it is a tribute to the world’s largest and deepest freshwater lake. It contains more than 20% of the world’s freshwater reserves. Naturally, this water is one of the ingredients in “life-giving moisture,” with its corresponding alcohol content.
The brand bears the same name as the lake, from the depths of which the crystal clear water is taken. This vodka is produced at LLC “Ulyanovsk Distilleries Gross.” Additionally, its composition includes:
- pine nuts;
- natural honey;
- pine buds.
From these ingredients, an infusion is prepared, which is then mixed with the alcohol base and Baikal water. The result is a luxury vodka with a pleasant forest flavor and a dominant nutty aftertaste. The drink is bottled in souvenir bottles.
Beluga
The Mariinsky Distillery brand holds an honorable place among Russian vodka brands. It is named after the most valuable type of fish, emphasizing its high quality. At present, Beluga is one of the leading types of alcoholic products, widely popular abroad and exported to 80 countries. Artesian water from depths of more than 300 meters is used to produce vodka.
The company producing this vodka was founded in 1900 and has been pleasing lovers of strong alcohol with its luxurious taste for many years. In 2007, it was included in the “Synergy” holding. In just three years, this brought the parent company to a high level of recognition in 2010 and into the top three among alcoholic beverage producers.
Chistye Rosy
Dew is the purest moisture that forms on plants in the wee hours of the morning. It is a morning blessing, an invigorating source, drops scattered on grass and flowers. This is the meaning that the creators of this Russian vodka wanted to convey in its name. Vodka “Pure Dews” is the result of the painstaking work of professionals, yielding an environmentally friendly alcoholic beverage.
This is the first brand of alcoholic products to be certified to European standards. The production of vodka involves many stages, each of which complies with the AbCert AG (Germany) standards. The company carefully controls everything, from preparing the land for grain sowing to the final bottling of vodka into branded bottles. The result is a unique, high-quality Russian alcohol.
Five Lakes
Russian vodka “Five Lakes” is a product of the Alcoholic Siberian Group. This company has been working in the domestic market since 1993, providing high-quality products and winning awards at exhibitions and competitions at various levels. Today, it is one of Russia’s largest alcohol producers, strictly adhering to specialized technologies. For example, the production of vodka uses an impeccable base of crystal clear water from Siberian lakes.
The company produces its premium line in accordance with high standards, selecting the best raw materials:
- luxury class alcohol;
- wheat infusion;
- citric acid;
- baking soda;
- sugar syrup.
Thanks to its natural composition, this Russian vodka is easy to drink and has a subtle flavor. The product is bottled in branded glass bottles with a capacity of 0.5 liters.
Green Mark
Another alcoholic brand that produces alcoholic beverages based on premium products is “Green Brand.” Its name clearly indicates that this is a natural vodka made from safe, natural raw materials. In particular, its composition includes:
- premium class alcohol;
- malic acid;
- softened water.
In addition, the alcohol undergoes double purification filtration using silver and charcoal. Only after that is it bottled. The bottles are standard, but the corks are unique, patented, and have a special design. Thanks to this technology, a surprisingly mild taste and reliable sealing in glass containers are achieved.
In 2012, this alcoholic brand ranked third globally in sales. Now, its products are supplied to more than 20 countries worldwide. In Russia itself, it has long been recognized as a favorite brand among the local population.
Hammer + Sickle
This Russian vodka is also considered organic since it is made from natural ingredients. Consequently, “Hammer + Sickle” is a 100 percent natural product. The manufacturer selects it:
- elite-class alcohol obtained from the grains of selected winter wheat grown in the south of the country;
- crystal-clear water of multi-stage purification, extracted from a deeply drilled well.
The drink undergoes thorough filtration, ensuring unrivaled quality. No wonder that this vodka belongs to the group of premium-class alcohol worthy of the attention of true connoisseurs of spirits.
Imperia
The Imperia brand debuted in 2004 and has since won over lovers of premium spirits. Russian Standard Imperia vodka is based on ancient traditions and technologies developed by scientist Dmitry Mendeleev in 1894. The classic recipe is built on a unique combination of super high-quality ingredients. The advantages of this product are undeniable:
- eightfold distillation;
- filtration through Ural quartz crystals;
- purification through carbon filters.
The result is worthy of the fact that each bottle bears a sign attesting to its Russian origin and a certificate of compliance with the original traditions of producing 40-degree alcohol. This designation has been adorning the labels since 2010. The flavor of elite alcohol is characterized by incredible softness with notes of chocolate and spices.
Jewel of Russia
This brand of vodka embodies the best traditions of Russian art in the preparation of alcoholic beverages. The manufacturer chooses ancient recipes and natural components for it. His main task is to preserve the optimal harmony between the inherent character and amazing softness of the alcohol, so he chooses multi-stage filtration and the highest-grade alcohol.
As a result, the vodka “Jewel of Russia” is high-quality, classic, and crystal clear. Fidelity to tradition is traced in every action during production, in every design touch, and in every ingredient used. Great attention is paid to even the shape of the bottles and the original sealing wax label. Sometimes, hand-painting is applied.
Orthodox
Another vodka brand of the Mariinsky distillery strictly adheres to the balance of traditional Russian customs and advanced technologies. It offers only elite products, with a smoothness and subtle flavor that strike a chord. At the same time, “Pravoslavnaya” is an exclusive alcohol, so each bottle is assigned an individual number. The drink consists of only two components:
- pure water from Siberian rivers;
- selected malt liquor.
Fine taste and loyalty to tradition are reflected in the bottle: it has a perfect shape, but its surface is covered with irregularities, as if it were a container from the XIX century rather than the XXI. At that time, achieving perfect smoothness was impossible, so the manufacturer has preserved authenticity.
Russian Standard Original Vodka
This Russian vodka first appeared on the market in 1998. From the very beginning, it was produced according to an ancient recipe used by tsarist winemakers. This alcohol has very ancient roots, dating back to 1894. Its association with the imperial court is emphasized even in the bottle’s shape: it looks like a royal bell, a historical relic.
The company uses luxury grain alcohol as a base. Wheat bread infusion (for flavor) and sugar (for strength) are added. The result is a vodka with a bright, bread-like smell and a traditional taste. In the country of production, this brand is widely known, accounting for 30% of premium alcohol sales. Russian Standard Original vodka has won 10 awards.
Stoli
The full name of this brand is Stolichnaya, and the abbreviated name is an American colloquialism. Thanks to Stoli, Russian vodka took first place in the prestigious International Top 100 Spirits Brands ranking. The vodka’s fame peaked in the 1970s.
Residents of many countries highly appreciated the Russian premium product. This marked the beginning of a global campaign to promote this type of alcohol. The affordable yet worthy alcoholic product gained recognition for its naturalness, purity, mild taste, characteristic aroma, and impeccable consistency.
Zyr Vodka
Appeared on the market in 2003 and remains one of the softest alcoholic drinks of its kind. Moreover, this drink has proved to be an excellent base for cocktails. In terms of taste, this Russian vodka is comparable to the best whiskeys: it is easy to drink and does not cause any negative effects, as it is produced according to the 9:5:3 formula.
- The first digit indicates the number of filtration.
- The second designation indicates the number of distillations.
- The third point speaks about the number of test tastings.
Thus, vodka “Zyr” is served with consistent quality because the manufacturer’s task is to maintain the crystal-clear contents of each bottle. This Russian vodka is made from winter rye grown in the Moscow region. Water is taken from the northwestern regions of Russia, not far from Finland. It is filtered five times before being sent for distillation. The fermented grains are also distilled five times.