IMPERIA VODKA
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Origin: Russia; $28

Vodka’s country of origin is in dispute, but there is no doubting its rich Russian history dating back at least 500 years. Imperia Vodka aims to capitalize on that legacy, utilizing a 19th-century recipe developed by chemist Dimitri Mendeleev (inventor of the Periodic Table of Elements), and patented by the government of St. Petersburg. Winter wheat, harvested from the black soil of the Russian steppes, creates a liquor that undergoes a total of eight distillations before glacial water from Lake Ladoga brings it down to proper proof. The liquid then passes through both charcoal and quartz crystal multiple times to strain out any impurities.

SKYY90
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Origin: USA; $33

SKYY’s initial claim to fame was a vodka relatively free of congeners—the stuff leftover from distillation that can cause hangovers and headaches. They have gone another step with their new SKYY90 bottle: processed in a new $25 million facility, this vodka is the first ever distilled to 200 proof, meaning zero leftover water or byproducts. Water from Sierra Mountain gets blended back in to bring it down to 90 proof, yielding an impressively crisp, clean taste—and inspiring the name.

JEAN-MARC XO
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Origin: France; $50

Vodka from Cognac? Why not? Jean-Marc XO comes in a stylish flask-shaped bottle that promises above average quality, and it delivers. Four varieties of French wheat comprise the source material, and this vodka undergoes distillation a whopping nine times before it is micro-oxygenated and charcoal filtered.

ULTIMAT
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Origin: Poland; $58

Three distinct Polish vodkas go into Ultimat: potato vodka for richness and body; wheat for light, subtle smoothness; and rye for flavor and complexity. Blended together by a master distiller and bottled in a handcrafted cobalt blue crystal decanter, they yield a deliciously smooth vodka, with a pleasantly heavy body and a hint of vanilla.

XELLENT
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Origin: Switzerland; $37

The Swiss are known for their neutrality and they’ve excelled in producing the neutral spirit Xellent. Switzerland’s first and only vodka lives up to its name. Made from water from a glacier and rye, it is triple distilled until it is as pure as the Alpine snow.

42 BELOW
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Origin: New Zealand; $30

Call 42 Below "the vodka from Down Under." This New Zealand product tastes remarkably clean and smooth because it uses water from a top-rated deep spring. The name refers to both the location of the distillery—42 degrees below the equator—and its alcoholic strength: 42% (also called "degrees" in other countries) rather than the usual 40.

HANGAR 1
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Origin: USA; $33

Hangar 1 delivers precisely what unflavored vodka should: clean alcohol with good body and no defects. It’s a benchmark liquor from a pair of distilling geniuses in California’s wine country, most often used as the base for their flavored vodkas (which range from kaffir lime to wasabi), but also tastes fantastic chilled and straight up or in a martini. Hangar 1 represents a blend of two very different vodkas: one from Midwest American wheat, the other from Viognier grapes from California.

ROTH CALIFORNIA
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Origin: USA; $35

Roth California is the world’s only vodka with the blessing of the U.S. Court of Master Sommeliers, and is produced from a quintuple distillation of California wine grapes. With a more aggressive flavor profile than grain-derived vodkas, this one retains its individuality even in mixed drinks.

STOLICHNAYA ELIT
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Origin: Russia; $60

Don’t confuse Stolichnaya elit with its popular older brother "Stoli." This grain-based beverage is triple-distilled and undergoes a unique freeze filtration process which brings its temperature down to -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit). As the liquid's density increases, it becomes easier to identify and remove impurities. The result: great body and texture, and a distinctly clean aftertaste.

KAUFFMAN LUXURY VINTAGE VODKA
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Origin: Russia; $100+

"Awesome," Christian Navarro, sommelier to the stars, says of Kauffman Luxury Vintage Vodka. “Great texture and flavor.” He plans to stock the pricy stuff at Wally’s, his West Los Angeles fine wine and spirits store, but it hasn’t yet been approved for sale in the USA. While vintage designations usually appear only on wine, Champagne and the occasional Armagnac, the Russian company behind Kauffman believes there’s enough variation in each year’s wheat crop to justify its use as they will only produce their vodka in superior years.