According to Drinks International (a British publication), vodka is the second most popular drink, after whisky. This makes vodka the queen of alcoholic beverages, while whisky is the king. Despite vodka’s simplicity, it falls into several categories today, including the luxury segment. We will focus on this category and reveal the most famous Russian brands.
Premium vodka is a complex product. Many factors affect its quality, so producing it is a lengthy, multi-stage 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 Russian vodkas, in addition to heat shock and multi-stage purification, undergo other production processes. For example, they are enriched with natural flavors of additional ingredients by blending, infusion, and other methods.
Vodka is also often called “Russian” because it is considered the national drink of the Russian people. It is there that the largest number of alcohol brands are 40-degree products. Accordingly, the range of offers is quite broad, but not all of them fall into the luxury category.
So we have gathered the relevant information to make it easier for buyers to navigate the variety of offers on store shelves. So, we present the 12 best vodka brands. But first, let’s briefly review this drink’s history.
We invite you to explore some of the most famous Russian vodka brands. The list is arranged alphabetically, not by elitism or quality. Each lover of this alcoholic beverage can choose the version that suits them best.
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 shares the lake’s name, from whose depths the crystal-clear water is drawn. This vodka is produced at LLC “Ulyanovsk Distilleries Gross.” Additionally, its composition includes:
- pine nuts;
- natural honey;
- pine buds.
They prepare an infusion from these ingredients, then mix it 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. The vodka is produced using artesian water from depths of more than 300 meters.
The company that produces this vodka was founded in 1900 and has pleased 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 high 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 painstaking professional work, yielding an environmentally friendly alcoholic beverage.
This is the first alcoholic product brand to be certified to European standards. Vodka production involves many stages, each of which complies with AbCert AG (Germany) standards. The company carefully controls every step, from preparing the land for grain sowing to bottling the vodka in branded bottles. The result is a unique, high-quality Russian alcohol.
Five Lakes
Russian vodka “Five Lakes” is produced by the Alcoholic Siberian Group. The company has operated in the domestic market since 1993, delivering 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, vodka production uses crystal-clear water from Siberian lakes as its base.
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 through silver and charcoal filtration. Only after that is it bottled. The bottles are standard, but the corks are unique, patented, and specially designed. This technology delivers a surprisingly mild taste and reliable sealing in glass containers.
In 2012, this alcoholic brand ranked third globally in sales. Now, its products are supplied to more than 20 countries worldwide. In Russia, it has long been a local favorite.
Hammer + Sickle
This Russian vodka is also considered organic since it is made from natural ingredients. As a result, “Hammer + Sickle” is 100 percent natural. The manufacturer selects:
- elite-class alcohol obtained from the grains of selected winter wheat grown in the south of the country;
- crystal-clear water purified through multiple stages and drawn from a deep-drilled well.
The drink undergoes thorough filtration, ensuring unrivaled quality. No wonder this vodka belongs among premium-class spirits worthy of true spirits connoisseurs’ attention.
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.
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 this premium vodka is characterized by incredible softness, with notes of chocolate and spices.
Jewel of Russia
This vodka brand embodies the best traditions of Russian art in preparing alcoholic beverages. The manufacturer uses ancient recipes and natural ingredients. Its main goal is to preserve the alcohol’s inherent character and remarkable softness, so it uses 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. It pays close attention even to the shape of the bottles and the original sealing-wax label. Sometimes, hand-painting is applied.
Orthodox
Another vodka brand from the Mariinsky distillery strictly balances traditional Russian customs with advanced technology. It offers only elite products, with a smooth, subtle flavor that resonates. At the same time, “Pravoslavnaya” is an exclusive spirit, so each bottle is numbered individually. 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 19th century rather than the 21st. At the time, achieving perfect smoothness was impossible, so the manufacturer preserved its authenticity.
Russian Standard Original Vodka
This Russian vodka first appeared on the market in 1998. From the start, it was produced using an ancient recipe used by tsarist winemakers. This spirit has deep roots, dating back to 1894. Its association with the imperial court is evident even in the bottle’s shape: it resembles 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 its country of production, this brand is widely known and accounts 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 a colloquial Americanism. 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 beverage gained recognition for its naturalness, purity, mildness, 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 compares with the best whiskeys: it is easy to drink and has no negative effects, as it is produced according to the 9:5:3 formula.
- The first digit indicates the number of filtrations.
- The second digit indicates the number of distillations.
- The third digit indicates the number of test tastings.
Thus, vodka “Zyr” is consistently high quality because the manufacturer maintains the crystal-clear contents of each bottle. This Russian vodka is made from winter rye grown in the Moscow region. The water comes from Russia’s northwestern regions, near Finland. It is filtered five times before distillation. The fermented grains are distilled five times