Traditional Polish distilleries have a long history of making flavored Vodkas with natural local ingredients. One of the most popular flavored Vodkas from Poland is flavored from bison grass, a special kind of grass that grows in Poland; as the name suggests, it’s a favorite meal of the bison that roam in the Białowieża Forest.
To make the bison grass Vodka, the grass is picked and dried in the sun. Then it’s infused into the Vodka. It gives the spirit herbal, floral and sweet spice notes of cinnamon and licorice. One of the most popular cocktails in Poland is apple juice mixed with bison grass Vodka. In Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe, you’ll also find Vodkas flavored with honey and spices.
And in many Scandinavian countries, you’ll find aquavit, which is a clear distilled spirit just like Vodka. Aquavit Vodka is often flavored with caraway seeds or lemon.
How is flavored Vodka made?
Flavored Vodka begins as a clear, neutral spirit distilled from starchy foods like wheat, corn, rye or potatoes. After it’s distilled, natural and manufactured flavorings are added to the spirit to make flavored Vodka. Some flavored Vodka brands start with neutral grain spirits and then add flavorings.
- Any distilled spirit starts with taking food with complex sugars–such as grain or potatoes.
- The distiller starts with a mash of grain and water that’s heated in a big vat.
- Then yeast is added. The yeast eats the sugar in the starchy mix and turns it into alcohol, in an ancient process called fermentation. This fermented liquid, which is like a strong beer, has a relatively low alcohol content of about 15 to 16 percent.
- To create Vodka, this beer is distilled to create more alcohol.
- The fermented liquid is added to a still and heated. Since alcohol is lighter than water, it turns to steam that collects inside the still and the water evaporates. Once the still cools down, the liquid that’s left is high proof of alcohol or Vodka. This spirit can be distilled several times, and with each repetition, it gets purer. When the distiller is satisfied with the spirit’s purity, the appropriate flavor is added.
- Boutique Vodka makers will use a pot still, often made with copper, to produce a spirit with a softer texture. Flavorings like spices can be added in the pot still to create a flavored Vodka.
What is the best flavored Vodka?
The best-flavored Vodka depends on your palate and what kind of flavors you like to enjoy. There’s no wrong choice in flavored Vodka; the only criteria to "best-flavored Vodka" being that you like it. These days, the array of flavored Vodka choices is endless. If you like farmer’s market fruit flavors, then you’ll enjoy apple Vodka, strawberry Vodka, orange Vodka, raspberry Vodka, cherry Vodka or lemon Vodka. Love tropical flavors? Then pick up a bottle of watermelon Vodka, mango Vodka, pineapple Vodka or coconut Vodka. More subtle flavors that marry well with other flavored Vodkas include whipped cream Vodka and cotton candy Vodka.
Do you drink flavored Vodka straight?
Yes, you can drink flavored Vodka straight. Flavored Vodkas are so popular because you don’t have to mix anything with them other than ice! You can just pour a shot of your favorite flavor into a glass and sip it on the rocks.
What do you mix with flavored Vodka?
Flavored Vodkas are some of the most versatile spirits around, so you can mix them with a wide variety of soft drinks, sparkling waters, juices and other beverages like coffee or tea. Lemonade is another great choice that pairs with sweet tea Vodka and many fruit flavors like strawberry lemonade Vodka. Chilled green tea would be delicious with peach Vodka. Or if you want to create a cool weather drink, try mixing coffee with some whipped cream Vodka. The possibilities are endless.
What does flavored Vodka taste like?
Flavored Vodkas are made to taste just like what it says on the label. Plus, most flavored Vodkas have at least some sugar, which helps heighten the fruity flavor.
What soda mixes well with Vodka?
Flavored Vodkas are perfect partners for all kinds of sodas, from plain club soda and seltzer water to sweet soft drinks and ginger beers. Total Wine & More stocks a wide variety of sparkling mixers and sodas that will make an easy and delicious mixer with flavored Vodka.
Do flavored Vodkas have sugar?
If you’re wondering whether flavored Vodkas have sugar, the answer is "it depends." Some flavored Vodkas do have sugar to intensify the fruit or whipped cream flavors. If you need help finding a lower calorie Vodka without sugar, be sure to talk to your store associate. The Smirnoff Zero Sugar and Ketel One Infusions lines, which have about 76 calories per serving, are great choices in low-calorie flavored Vodkas.
What are popular flavored Vodka cocktails?
Substitute flavored Vodka for neutral Vodka in a classic cocktail recipe, such as a Cosmopolitan, Greyhound, Madras, or Screwdriver. Or for something new, try one of our popular recipes below to make a satisfying cocktail with flavored Vodka:
What are the popular brands of flavored Vodka?
Total Wine & More has all the most popular flavored Vodkas. With such a wide selection of flavored Vodkas, you can be sure to find a few that you’ll like. Some of our most popular brands of flavored Vodka are:
Want to learn more about flavored Vodka?
Check out our Guide to Vodka to learn about everything you need to know about Vodka or visit our Different Flavors of Vodka page to find the Vodka flavor and brand for you!
