While vodka has faced a raft of challenges in recent years, quality still shines through – SB presents the best value brands from the category.

We present our top 10 best value for money vodka brands

The Spirits Business held its annual Vodka Masters last month, where an experienced panel of judges recognised the best bottlings in the business.

Looking across multiple categories, from micro-distillery to organic, regional to flavoured, a wide range of vodkas were awarded the top accolades of Master and Gold medals for their quality.

The individual scores of each entrant have not been revealed, however these are 10 of the highest rated medalists in the competition, in no particular order.

While some expressions are not standard priced, our judges have given each vodka listed here the seal of approval for offering excellent quality within their respective price categories.

Click through to the following pages to view the top 10 best value for money vodkas of 2016.

Żubrówka

 

Price: approx £24

Master medallist Żubrówka delighted the jury in the Premium round with its much-adored Bison Grass release – flavoured with the tincture of a rare wild grass often enjoyed by European bison. Bison Grass has a long history in Poland and, at one time, was considered “the drink of nobility”. The Roust-owned expression is distilled from rye in Poland.

“It’s really interesting to taste something that is complex without being complicated,” one judge commented, adding, “it could change people’s opinions of flavoured vodka”

Slingsby Pure Grain Vodka

Price: approx £24

Deemed a “superb example of an ultra-premium vodka,”Spirit of Harrogate’s Slingsby expression was swiftly awarded a Master medal.

“It’s not overly flash or fancy, but gets the mouthfeel just right.” The vodka, made with English wheat, is seven times distilled and then blended with Harrogate spring water. Slingsby Vodka is said to be “bold and characterful” with a “soft, smooth” finish.

Pur Vodka

Price: approx £32

Made In Quebec, Canada, Pur Vodka achieved Gold medals across the board in the Rest of World, Ultra Premium and Smooth categories.

Judges praised the vodka as “very well-crafted” and “solid”, with a “clean, warming, smooth” flavour. The vodka is made from corn, triple distilled and filtered with charcoal.

Death’s Door Vodka

Price: approx £24

The namesake vodka from Wisconsin-based Death’s Door Distillery received a Master medal for its “multiple taste elements” and ‘delightful mouthfeel’ in the USA regional category. Made from wheat and malted barley, the liquid  is double-distilled and hand cut to ensure a “rich, smooth” expression.

One judge remarked: “It starts sweet on the nose, and then blends together on the palate – it has almost rum-like qualities.”

Purity Vodka 17

Price: approx £34

Deemed a “model of a neutral vodka with a totally honest grain-based style”, Purity Vodka 17 secured medals across the board in Scandinavia, Europe, Smooth, Organic and Micro-distillery categories, earning its highest accolade, a Master medal, in the bumper Ultra Premium flight.

The liquid is made from organic winter wheat and malted barley at the 13th Century Ellinge Castle in the south of Sweden.

Graceful Vodka

Price: approx £28

Independent small batch distillery Poetic License launched Graceful Vodka in 2015. Made using British wheat and distilled seven times, the “delightfully silken” and “well-crafted” spirit earned three Gold medals across Europe, Premium and Micro-distillery flights in the blind tasting.

Stalinskaya Blue Vodka

Price: approx £16

Produced by Romanian drinks company Prodal ‘94, Stalinskaya Blue Vodka secured a Master medal in the Premium round. Judges praised its “earthy” qualities coupled with the sweetness of palate and “icing sugar” finish.

“How those opposing flavours combine on the finish is really impressive,” one judge noted.

Bulbash #1 Cranberry

Price: approx £16

Judges found Bulbash #1 Cranberry to be “creamy” with a “lovely flavour”. Made from real cranberries, with no artificial flavours or chemical additives, the expression was awarded a Gold medal in the Organic category. 

Davna Cherry

Price: approx £16

The creation of Polish spirits producer Akwawit-Polmos, Davna Cherry was deemed a “wholesome and rich” flavoured vodka expression with “authentic” notes throughout.

The liquid, which is made from Polish vodka combined with hand-picked Polish cherries, vanilla, almonds and cinnamon, scored a Gold medal in the Flavoured flight.

Sash & Fritz – The German Vodka

Price: approx £27

Deemed “a classic example of the category”, Sash & Fritz secured a Gold medal amongst the Super Premium offerings. Combining ‘Russian tradition with German precision’, the liquid is crafted from German wheat and clear spring water from the Ore Mountains, and distilled and filtered five times.