Vodka Myths You Should Stop Believing

If you drink the occasional vodka soda or Moscow mule while out at the bar, then you might think that most vodkas are the same. After all, isn't vodka the one spirit that's completely odorless, tasteless, and colorless? Shouldn't that mean that every bottle is literally exactly alike?

Well, not quite. There are actually many misconceptions surrounding vodka, from the idea that different brands really are all the same to the notion that most vodka comes from Russia, the country that also drinks the most vodka in the world (in actuality, all of these things are wrong). Turns out, this clear spirit — one that spends most of its time lurking at the bottom of flavorful cocktails in order to mask its astringent flavor — is probably a lot more interesting than you think.

Keep reading for the vodka myths you should stop believing, along with the truth behind the lies. You'll thank us when you're regaling your friends at the bar this weekend with your newfound knowledge on all things vodka.

In April 2020, the United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau changed the legal definition of vodka, which previously required it to be totally odorless and tasteless. So, if vodka must no longer technically lack a distinctive aroma in order to be vodka, does that mean it actually does have a particular smell? 

Well, if you've ever taken a whiff from a bottle of vodka and drawn back, eyes watering, then your first thought was probably that it smelled like straight-up rubbing alcohol. And you wouldn't be alone in your thinking. However, just like your favorite wine may have smelled identical to grape juice before you got to know its individual nuances, if you take a little time to get to know vodka, you'll discover the differing flavors and aromas there as well.

But let's hear it from the experts. Joaquín Simó, owner of Pouring Ribbons in New York City, told Thrillist, "subtle notes of citrus peels, cacao nibs, and cracked peppercorns are ... teased out — especially in the aromas" of certain vodkas. Another bartender and owner agreed that vodka smells like black pepper plus lemon.

The vodka-making process requires fermentation, distillation, dilution, and filtration — with distillation, in particular, getting a lot of focus. You might notice many brands boasting that their vodka has been distilled numerous times (via Taste of Home). The idea is that the number of times a vodka is distilled is directly related to its quality and purity; the more distilling that goes on, the better the vodka.

However, a vodka that's been distilled multiple times isn't always going to be higher quality. Turns out, this is more of a clever little marketing trick some brands use to make their vodka seem better than it is, says Vine Pair. And it's worth noting that some brands considered to be very high quality, such as Grey Goose, only distill their vodka once.

On top of this, as Vine Pair also points out, some distillers may fudge the truth about the number of times they distill their vodka. And they're able to get away with it because of the technical complexity of the distilling process. So even though the vodka may have only been technically fully distilled one or two times, a brand might say it's been distilled hundreds of times, which just isn't the case. But how many consumers are going to know that?

We've all heard James Bond say it — he wants his vodka martini shaken, not stirred. And regardless of what author Ian Fleming's intentions were when he wrote this very particular drink order into the James Bond canon, there's now a whole bevy of fans out there who assume the best way to order a vodka martini is shaken. Why would James Bond lead you astray?

But, alas, our favorite British secret spy has done just that. According to bartenders who spoke with The Kitchn, "James Bond destroyed drinks." Those experts note that alcohol-heavy drinks, such as martinis, Manhattans, and old fashioneds (and vodka martinis, for that matter) should always be stirred. Shaking changes the overall texture of the drink and just doesn't blend the ingredients in the same way. Stirring is always the way to go if you want to retain the quality of your favorite boozy beverage.

Russia and vodka. Vodka and Russia. Sometimes it seems like the two are inseparable. However, just as the majority of vodka you find on U.S. shelves is not from Russia, the country likewise cannot solely lay claim to introducing the world to vodka. Instead, Russia must share that honor with Poland and Sweden. 

According to The Moscow Times, Russians first came across distilled spirits in the 1300s. By around 1430, a monk is credited with fine-tuning the Russian vodka-making process (per Vocal Media). But prior to that, other nearby countries, such as Poland, were making their own version of vodka — first for medicinal purposes and then later as an aphrodisiac. In the late 1400s, vodka production was also already taking place in Sweden as well (via Vocal Media). However, in 1472, Tsar Ivan II instituted the first state monopoly on vodka in Russia, paving the way for an economic and cultural transformation that is probably part of the reason we still associate the spirit with the country today.

Whatever your reason for going gluten-free, you may assume that vodka is a safe spirit to drink because it's typically made from potatoes. But as we now know, sometimes vodka is made from a variety of ingredients, including wheat and other grains. Even still, you may have also noticed some vodkas with labels proudly declaring themselves to be gluten-free. So what's the deal? Is vodka really gluten-free? Well, it's complicated. And even those gluten-free labels are slightly misleading. 

According to a food allergy researcher from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, speaking to Scientific American, no distilled spirit — even if it's made from wheat or another grain — should contain gluten unless it's added after the distillation process. He claimed that distilling removes all gluten and gluten peptide residues. In the same article, though, the Celiac Sprue Association said approximately 10% of its members had reported adverse reactions after drinking grain-based spirits. The group claimed the FDA's standards for marking something "gluten-free" were not stringent enough to address how sensitive those with celiac disease are to even the smallest amounts of gluten. 

That said, your best bet if you're going gluten-free for your health is to avoid vodka unless you know for sure it was not made with any grain-based ingredients.

We've all heard about storing your vodka in the freezer. And while it won't hurt anything if you want to keep things that chilly, it's actually not necessary at all. You do, however, want to keep your vodka cool. Keep it away from sunlight and store bottles at room temperature or lower to keep your vodka tasting fresh for as long as possible. Ideally, you want to keep your vodka around 55 to 60 F; this temperature range helps retain your vodka's initial flavors, reduces evaporation, and prevents oxidization (per Liquor.com).

One big mistake a lot of people make when keeping vodka in the freezer? They lay the bottle on its side so it fits in between the frozen pizzas and bags of peas. However, if your vodka bottle features a cork top, then storing it in this position will cause the cork and liquor to affect each other, decreasing the quality of your vodka and making the cork fall apart. If you do store your vodka in the freezer so it's always ready for a quick drink, just make sure to keep it sitting upright.