This Bottom-Shelf Vodka Is Exceptionally Balanced For Its Price

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You may think that you get what you pay for with vodka, but in actuality, a high price tag doesn't guarantee high quality, just as a lower price doesn't necessarily reflect low quality. In fact, most vodkas are essentially indistinguishable from one another, though brand recognition and marketing often raise the price of certain bottles. To prove lower-tier vodka can be surprisingly smooth, we asked experts which bottom-shelf vodkas are worth buying, and one of the top choices was Svedka.

In addition to brands like Stoli, Chicago-based bartender Katie Miller swears by Swedish-made Svedka, which costs about $9 for a 750-milliliter bottle or $16 for a handle. "We see no need to buy the highest quality vodka possible; brands such as New Amsterdam and Svedka are great spirits that come at a lower price point per case," Miller told Mashed. "These are trusted brands that can be used in many vodka-based cocktails, and most people will be none the wiser."

Instead of defaulting to whatever brand you drank in college, Miller suggests figuring out which lower-cost vodka is worth buying. "You should consider the base ingredient, alcohol content (ABV), location of distillation, number of distillations, filtration process, and reputation of the company," the expert said. Svedka is mostly made from Swedish winter wheat, and it's thoroughly distilled for a balanced, near-flavorless taste. It has a 40% ABV, the industry standard for drinkability and versatility without excessive burn.

Many agree that Svedka delivers quality vodka at a reasonable price. It's quadruple-distilled, making it exceptionally smooth and sippable, then processed in purification columns to eliminate impurities. While the original has a nearly undetectable taste, there are also 12 flavored Svedka vodkas on the brand's website as of this writing, ranging from vanilla to raspberry to cherry limeade.

Fans say the original is a steal. "It's not pretending to be a silky, small-batch artisan spirit ... It's here to be mixed, poured, and forgotten in the best way possible. The taste is straightforward: lightly grainy, crisp, and surprisingly smooth for the price," wrote one Sam's Club reviewer. "Svedka is totally flavorless [when] cold ... On the way down there is a very, very mild bitter flavor in the back of the mouth, and ... slight burn ... I wasn't expecting the quality it provides for the price," a VodkaBuzz reviewer expressed. Over on Reddit, one user asserted, "There's nothing particularly egregious about this vodka ... It's serviceable, sweet enough to complement most mixed drinks ... and cheap."

While you could sip this vodka straight or use it for shots, vodka is designed to be mixed. There are endless easy cocktail recipes to make at home with Svedka, like white Russians, limoncello, or Moscow mules. That said, we wouldn't blame you for trying it in a classic dirty martini recipe, which allows the vodka to shine and packs a potent punch.