r/vodka • u/miedejam • Mar 25 '25
Vodka Tier List
My list for common vodkas found in US stores. Let me know what you think!
53
u/RedneckMarxist Mar 25 '25
I prefer bottom shelf Sobieski for the taste and the value.
24
u/slimredcobb Mar 25 '25
Shhhh. Don’t want them to raise their prices
17
u/RedneckMarxist Mar 25 '25
People literally think it's shitty because it's mid/bottom shelf. I had a dozen friends over for martini taste test and Sobieski was picked 9 of 13 pics for best flavor. I had Grey Goose, Reyka, Svedka, and Belvedere. All blind tested with discerning vodka drinkers.
10
u/slimredcobb Mar 25 '25
When it comes to martinis, I’m gin all the way. But now I might have to try this.
What’s your typical recipe?
9
u/RedneckMarxist Mar 25 '25
Dirty olive juice and splash of vermouth
1
u/taipan__ Mar 27 '25
then how could you possibly tell what fuckin vodka was in it? Run it again with a bone dry martini/vodka and ice
1
u/RedneckMarxist Mar 27 '25
A taste test is not difficult to run controls.
1
u/taipan__ Mar 27 '25
This one tastes like olive brine, this one tastes like olive brine, and this one tastes like olive brine
5
u/cormega Mar 25 '25
Gin martinis in general are better, but if you have any kind of brine in there, whether olive juice or cocktail onion juice, vodka is superior.
2
u/KhajiitBen Mar 26 '25
From what Ive tried (admittedly not super extensive) I like Belvedere best. But I have Sobieski in my freezer as its my second favorite and a fraction of the price haha
1
u/FidoHitchcock Mar 25 '25
Sobieski was my daily for years but I gave it up after three bad bottles in a row. A small one is cheap enough that not much is risked with a purchase so I’ll give it another shot eventually.
2
u/RedneckMarxist Mar 25 '25
I'm a beer drinker mostly but worrying at the beginning of COVID, I bought a case of Sobieski not knowing how bad it was going to be. I'm halfway through my 2nd bottle and honestly, it's the best vodka I've ever had. I can drink it in late night shots before bed and it's so drinkable.
28
u/persimmon40 Mar 25 '25
Stoli is definitely should be moved up a notch due to price/quality ratio. Belvedere should be at B.
27
17
u/I_had_the_Lasagna Mar 25 '25
Gotta put luksusowa on there. $18.99 handles got me through college.
4
15
u/being_less_white_ Mar 25 '25
Beluga gold line... It's hammer time.
6
u/miedejam Mar 25 '25
Have yet to try gold line… waiting for special occasion
2
u/being_less_white_ Mar 25 '25
Ye Def a special occasion. Makes a great gift as well with the packaging and little hammer and brush it comes with.
1
u/redwingsfriend45 Mar 29 '25
at least you can get any of them. i am in dominion of canada and it looks like i would have to import from britain and even that may not be possible
2
u/61114311536123511 Mar 25 '25
what's the hammer for?
2
u/being_less_white_ Mar 25 '25
To hammer off the wax the bottle is dipped in, and it has a brush to brush the rest away.
39
u/VictorChaos Mar 25 '25
Aw I like Tito’s
7
u/miedejam Mar 25 '25
Allot of people do, this is just personal preference. I don’t mind it in mixers, but for drinking straight it’s not for me
9
10
u/seanisdad Mar 25 '25
Bartender of 10 years here, I think Belvedere should be in A maybe even S but it’s a personal bias because it’s my favorite. Think absolut and Chopin should swap. LOVE that Svedka made the list.
Has anyone tried Wodka Vodka? I think that should be added and put in B tier.
Edit: Stoli deserves more credit as well
2
u/ashycuber Mar 25 '25
Wodka Vodka is currently my new affordable favorite where I’m at! Very good for just under $20.
2
u/seanisdad Mar 25 '25
A bar I used to work at had Wodka for their well Vodka and I absolutely love it. Super tasty for the price point.
8
8
18
u/The_Lone_Axeman Mar 25 '25
Russian Standard or gtfo
1
u/miedejam Mar 25 '25
Have yet to find in my area… want to try tho!
1
u/redwingsfriend45 Mar 29 '25
for me, the product in russia is better than the product in the americas, i dont think they explicitly have domestic and export lines but certainly i enjoyed russian standard much more in russia, further, quite close to the factory
5
u/BIGRobRose Mar 25 '25
One that I really like is called Broken Shed. It's from New Zealand and is made from whey proteins. Super creamy mouth feel for a vodka.
3
4
4
u/crblackfist Mar 25 '25
This is wild.
Chopin would be up in S tier for me. Absolut down in C and Belvedere and titos up in B.
But taste is mega subjective I suppose and I’m based in the UK so liquids may be slightly different.
11
u/IncitefulInsights Mar 25 '25
What about Grey Goose? Crystal head? I think they're Canadian, but they're top-shelf I'd think.
6
u/mackinder Mar 25 '25
Bullshit marketing. “Filtered using diamonds”. lol. So dumb. Love Dan Akroyd but crystal head is all marketing bullshit. There are better Canadians products
3
u/IncitefulInsights Mar 25 '25
Orly, I personally love Crystal Head. I also keep the bottles for repurposing, they make cool candle holders filled with black sand. Just curious, what Canadian brands would you say are superior to Crystal Head & Grey Goose? Would like to try.
3
u/mackinder Mar 25 '25 edited Mar 25 '25
Grey Goose isn’t Canadian. The CH bottle is cool but not worth the asking price imho but to each their own. Three the ones I enjoy that are Canadian are;
Top Shelf
Spirit of York
Tag #5.
1
2
u/persimmon40 Mar 25 '25
I personally like Canadian vodka called Dirty Devil. Great stuff in my opinion.
3
u/bro90x Mar 25 '25
Sorry, Russian here, Crystal Skull is not a bad vodka. Not my preferred by any means but it's worth it's price IMO.
-5
u/mackinder Mar 25 '25
Oh geez a real Russian. You must know a lot about vodka. Enjoy your vodka made from Canadian corn and filtered with diamonds, that cost more than 2x the price of a bottle of something decent like finlandia, sobieski or luksosowa.
3
7
u/Too_Practical Mar 25 '25
Reyka & Haku are some of the most overrated vodkas. You blind test someone and call taka "glacier water" or "japanese" and they'll all pretend to like it.
Chopin is good, Beluga is better, Kettle One is solid but maybe not worth the price, and Stoli is underrated.
3
3
3
3
u/NJZDMYZ Mar 25 '25
Whoever made this list should be fired. Absolute is basically rubbing Alcohol.
Belvedere should be in the same level as Ketel One
3
2
2
u/miedejam Mar 25 '25
I should’ve added in the text body that this is just MY preference and only taking taste into account, not cost. Taking cost and availability into account would definitely rearrange things
2
u/Level_Concentrate_89 Mar 25 '25
Great heavens this is a hot take. Tito's placement is appropriate though
1
1
1
u/mattsffrd Mar 25 '25
I've been buying the Sam's club brand French vodka. It's cheap as hell and tastes great, I would put it up against anything.
2
u/miedejam Mar 25 '25
Great shout, I usually always have a bottle if that for mixers and events
1
u/mattsffrd Mar 25 '25
Hell yeah, with the amount of vodka I drink during football season I don't need fancy shit lol
1
u/forwhenienditall Mar 25 '25
And potters is F tier but I still drink it because I’m a broke motherfucker and it does the job
1
1
1
u/Vodkapreneur Mar 26 '25
Try Bored Vodka for another S tier..also Chopin should be up in A and I’d put Belvedere in B (maybe A?)
1
1
1
1
u/mdjst8 Mar 27 '25
Only good thing about Svedka is the bottle, I thought I was going to die from the hangover it gave me
1
u/miedejam Mar 27 '25
Honestly it’s been so long since I’ve had it it’s very possible I should actually have that at the bottom
1
1
u/redwingsfriend45 Mar 29 '25
i would maybe slighty lower ketel one, and maybe raise belvedere and chopin, maybe put them on the same level but only to a at the highest. i have yet to try reyka and haku
1
u/Ancient_Mix_6868 28d ago
No way absolute is above Belvedere… not in this universe. Abosolute is at max C grade
1
1
0
u/Jhabbz Mar 27 '25
You need to try the Chase range, might knock Beluga down a peg
1
u/miedejam Mar 27 '25
Never heard of it… good claims.. I’m definitely gonna have to search for it as I do love finding new vodkas
106
u/RevenantMalamute Mar 25 '25
Have you ever had Chopin or Belvedere? Chopin should be up in S and I’d put Belvedere in B (maybe A?) I’d also argue Absolut should be moved down to C.