Best vodkas for your home bar: Add Smirnoff, Absolut, Ciroc and Grey Goose to your shopping list

Best vodka for your home bar: Vodka in India might not be grabbing headlines like gin, but its versatility as a spirit is being embraced by bartenders and well-heeled spirit aficionados alike

According to Statista, India’s vodka market ($37.87 million in 2023) is still a miniscule share of the global pie. Vodka revenues globally that are expected to cross $46 billion this year and grow at CAGR of 4.96 percent until 2027. But the premiumisation of the Indian market with higher spends on premium spirits and a growing cocktail culture is seeing more International vodka brands appear on retail shelves in the country. It might not be grabbing headlines like gin - that’s also fuelled by a slew of homegrown brands - but vodka’s versatility as a spirit is being embraced by bartenders and well-heeled spirit aficionados alike.

Also read: 12 best cocktail bars in Delhi for all occasions

Here's a look at 8 premium vodkas you must get for your home bar.

Smirnoff no 21 | Price: Rs 1,690

It's one of the world’s fastest selling premium vodkas and is available in over 130 countries. Smirnoff No 21 is triple distilled from grain and filtered ten times through charcoal. The result – an exceptionally smooth spirit with a clean palate. It works equally well neat or in a wide range of cocktails including the legendary Smirnoff Espresso Martini.

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Absolut Elyx | Price: Rs 4,800

The showstopper bottle is crafted from over 40 percent recycled glass. The design makes a connection with the manually operated vintage copper still that has been in use since 1921. Absolut likes to call this liquid silk, Elyx makes the perfect addition to your martinis. This fine vodka is made from winter wheat grown on one single estate in Southern Sweden.

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Ciroc | Price: Rs 4,390

This premium vodka is distilled from fine French grapes for a smooth, fresh experience. The key differentiator that sets this gluten-free vodka apart are the fine French grapes which are distilled a fifth time at the historic Distillerie de Maison Villevert – Chevanceaux in the South of France. Refined, citrus aromas dominate the nose, the smooth lightly sweet vodka is enriched by the natural character of the grapes and boasts of a crisp and clean finish.

Belvedere | Price: Rs 4,975

Fronted by Daniel Craig – the Belvedere Martini is a favourite across the world’s trendiest bars, this vodka is proof that the simplest ingredients can create the biggest impact. This vodka is crafted exclusively from Polish Dankowskie Rye and quadruple-distilled for the perfect balance of character and purity. It’s free of additives and is manufactured in one of the most historic vodka distilleries that dates back to 1910. The vodka takes its name from Belweder, the Polish presidential palace in Warsaw.

Grey Goose | Price: Rs 5,100

This proudly French vodka is crafted with the finest ingredients. Soft winter wheat from in and around Picardie and pure spring water from Gensac in the Cognac region come together in the iconic Grey Goose bottle. It features a delicate and floral nose, a sweet and round palate and a bold finish with a hint of toffee.

Finlandia Vodka | Price: Rs 2,100

This crisp and naturally pure vodka is manufactured with the finest six-row barley that is kept clean pure by the Finnish winters and gently nourished by the midnight sun during the summer months. The continuous distillation process involves more than 200 steps and ensures that there are no impurities. The refined spirit is blended with pristine glacial water.

Ketelone | Price: Rs 2,700

Ketel is the Dutch word for Pot still. This vodka is produced by the Nolet distillery that was founded by the Nolet family in 1691 in the Netherlands. It’s remained with the family ever since; a member of the Nolet family still approves every production run before bottling. Ketelone benefits from a unique combination of traditional copper pot stills and modern distilling techniques as well as carefully selected European wheat. Ketel gets it signature crisp quality with an emphasis on fragrance, flavour, feel and finish.

Beluga | Price: Rs 5,300

This Russian vodka is a favourite with vodka connoisseurs who prefer to drink it on the rocks. It is made with barley malt spirit and is very lightly flavoured with honey and extracts of oat and milk thistle. The refined flavours are a result of its unique composition – malt spirit and the purest water. These carefully selected ingredients pass through a triple filtering system.