But the category is still undervalued as it's typically assumed that all vodkas taste the same. This view stems from neutral vodka, the traditional style in the UK, USA and the West. With no aroma or flavour, neutral vodka is essentially a means of adding alcohol to a mixer or cocktail.
Distillers have a different approach in vodka's traditional homelands of Poland, Russia, Sweden and Finland, producing vodka with character derived from the ingredient being distilled. The ingredient is the most influential factor in the flavour of the vodka.
In Sweden and Russia this typically means wheat (as in brands such as Absolut) which gives a characteristic aniseed flavour. A Finnish vodka such as Finlandia is distilled from barley, yielding a subtly sweet, nutty and lusciously spicy character.
Most Polish vodkas (including Wyborowa and Belvedere) are distilled from rye, giving rye bread notes with subtle sweetness, though potato vodkas (such as Luksusowa) are also produced, giving buttery, mashed potato flavours. A recent trend is multi-ingredient vodka, such as Ultimat, a Polish brand that blends potato, rye and wheat.
Vodka has also reached a significant phase as the traditional division between Western vodkas being neutral, with Eastern European and Scandinavian vodkas having character, no longer applies. Innovative brands with abundant character are being produced throughout the West, such as Ketel One in the Netherlands, Grey Goose and Citadelle in France, and 42 Below in New Zealand (all distilled from wheat).
Flavoured vodkas have only recently become fashionable, but the earliest vodkas were always flavoured, though that was entirely due to necessity. When commercial distillation got underway, during the 14-15th centuries, the original technology was obviously crude, and distillers lacked the ability to rectify ('purify') the spirit.
The remaining impurities meant the resulting vodka contained harsh flavours and aromas. The only option was to disguise this by using certain herbs and spices, with honey used as a natural sweetener to soften the raw edges.
Once rectification ('purification') was developed in the mid-19th century, the quality of the vodka was so much better that there was nothing left to hide, and no need to add anything. That's when flavoured and 'unflavoured' vodka became separate styles.
Flavourings were added for their individual merits, and developed into a speciality genre, with over 100 flavoured vodkas on the Polish and Russian market during its heyday in the 19th century.
Although flavoured vodka used to be the dominant style, sales now only represent a fraction of the overall category. However, sales are growing as the range of flavours available continues to expand, with lemon established as the world's most popular style.
Ian Wisniewski Drinks Writer
