Is there really a difference between expensive and cheap vodka?
Vodka-lime, vodka-orange, vodka-cola or simply neat with an ice cube. For your night out, you want vodka. But which one? What makes a good one? And is there really a difference between expensive and cheap vodka?
A bottle of vodka consists of water and pure alcohol made from potatoes, rye or another type of grain. At de Keuringsdienst van Waarde, it emerged that there would actually be little difference between a cheap and an expensive bottle of vodka. Apart from the price, that is.
According to bartender Timo Janse there is indeed a difference between cheaper and more expensive vodka. “It’s actually the same as with wine: in some cases there’s no difference, and sometimes there’s a huge difference. But there’s also a lot of nonsense in between.”
Base ingredients
And what exactly is that difference? “You can really taste the base ingredient—potato or a grain product such as rye or barley—in the vodka. Vodka made from spelt, for example, is more distinctive and has a slight bitterness. Vodka does retain a neutral taste, so if you put only store-brand vodkas next to one another for a tasting, you won’t taste a difference. But if you take vodkas made from different base ingredients, you certainly will.”
Bling bling
Which bottle should you avoid? “You should do some research beforehand. Does it have its own distillery? If so, is it one you can visit, and can they tell you something about the production process? Does it all make sense? If the base product or the story surrounding the vodka revolves around a celebrity, if it has a lot of bling and they boast that rapper X drank it and that it’s sold in every club, you shouldn’t expect too much from the bottle. Then it’s all about the marketing.”
Try it
And which one should you choose? “For vodka in terms of both the liquid and the bottle, the price ceiling is around 40 to 50 euros; if it’s more expensive, I wouldn’t buy it. I’d recommend trying a special one at least once, such as Absolut Elyx, which is distilled in copper stills. You can compare it to, for example, a Champagne Blanc de Blancs: you pay just a little more, but the quality is significantly higher, with a clearly different taste. Or try Ketel One, a wheat vodka with a pleasantly smooth taste.”
