Is Vodka The Strongest Alcohol? ABV, Proof, vs Other Alcohol

It’s a decent option if you find it for a good price, and it’s mild enough to mesh with most cocktails. If you want to imbibe, but you prefer not to taste a lot of alcohol, Stolichnaya Vodka is mild, neutral, and easily muted. On its own, it finishes quickly and has pleasant notes of cool aloe, fresh lime, and peppery nettles.

Made in Austria, this spiced rum has been using the same secret recipe since 1832. Tasters report a slight vanilla or butterscotch flavor that can be detected underneath the strong burn, but it’s advisable to use it in your favorite rum cocktail instead of drinking it straight. Many of these overproof spirits are banned by TSA for their high alcohol content.

Fortaleza Still Strength

• Diageo, which signed a US$900m deal with the Nolet Group 2008, owns 50% of the brand with the other half belonging to the Nolet Group.
• When it comes to spirits, strength varies wildly, but a select few push the boundaries of potency.
• While its ridiculously high alcohol percentage means Spirytus can’t be drunk neat, it can work as a good base for cocktails when used minimally.
• We then mixed the most promising contenders into vodka sours and martinis, to observe any complementary or conflicting flavors, as well as structural changes caused by stirring and shaking.
• Pinnacle Vodka offers a range of light-tasting notes that make it the perfect vodka base for many cocktails.
• Marienburg 90% Overproof white rum is a standout in the world of high-proof spirits, celebrated for its exceptional alcohol content, which typically reaches an astounding 90% ABV.

Compared with our other picks, this vodka is a bit sharper and thinner in texture, and it melts down significantly when diluted. This one is good for people who like to mask their vodka in highballs or martinis. But Stolichnaya has the propensity to make shaken cocktails too watery—especially drinks like white Russians or espresso martinis, which benefit more from round, creamy vodkas.

Crystal Filtration And Fog Water: The Best Vodkas In The World

• Embrace the allure of Balkan 176 Vodka and let its exceptional craftsmanship redefine your appreciation for high-proof spirits.
• This 190-proof spirit empowers innovative mixologists, artists, and experimenters with a blank liquid canvas, providing a clean palette to extract and enhance bold flavors with precision.
• Its founders were told that it’s impossible to make light vodka, but they were eager to prove otherwise.
• Absolut is produced using only natural ingredients and is made from 100 percent Swedish wheat.
• Balkan 176 has 176 proof or 88% ABV and Balkan 176 comes with 13 health warnings on the bottle, one of which is in braille, due to the high alcohol content.
• It’s primarily made from sugarcane, a key agricultural product of the region.
• We dismissed Absolut Vodka and Belvedere Vodka because both were too hot, with a harsh alcohol burn on the nose and palate.

A stiff drink is one thing, but some spirits are at a whole different level of potency. You can find ultra-strong liquors in glass bottles with elegant labels, which, if you don’t read closely, will have you thinking that the bottle contains regular vodka or gin. These spirits are strong enough to pose a fire hazard or even be used as a disinfectant (Everclear sales went through the roof during the COVID-19 pandemic). This 96% (192 proof) spirit is anything but neutral in its alcohol content though. Similar to Everclear, this spirit is almost completely made up of alcohol and should be treated as such. From celebrations to after-work drinks, this wild libation is here for all your needs.

These disparate flavors worked together wonderfully in martinis garnished with olives or lemon twists, but we found this vodka’s texture and sweetness cloying in our vodka sours. If you prefer your cocktails on the sweeter side, you may enjoy Tito’s in something like a bee’s knees cocktail—which doubles down with the existing honey flavor—or an espresso martini. Otherwise, this vodka adapts better to fresh citrus, carbonation, or savory profiles. High-quality vodkas are 96.5 percent alcohol, while lower-quality bottles are 95 percent. A bottle of plain vodka involves only two ingredients – ethanol and water, at 60 percent and 40 percent, respectively. Plain vodka is the most popular cocktail spirit in the world due to its lack of flavor, and any strong aromas or tastes come from the distilling process rather than the spirit itself.

Rate Bottles

For convenience, obviously Sprinter reigns supreme, but if you’re looking for a party drink, this one leaves a bit to be desired. Each can is 355mm, a stunningly low 4.5% ABV, clocks in at 100 calories, with no gluten or added sugar. We appreciate Kylie’s decision to go with vodka rather than a grain alcohol or malt liquor base, which tend to taste blunt and lifeless. Maintaining its fourth place position, SPI-owned Stolichnaya saw positive growth to both its brand and total score this year reaffirming its position as one of the biggest vodka brands in the world. Earlier this year the the group extended its presence in the US launching its vodka portfolio in six more US states, renaming its US unit Stoli Group (USA).

Svedka: Best value vodka

Some drinks aren’t meant to be sipped straight, and Polmos Spirytus Rektyfikowany Vodka is one of them. Clocking in at 192 proof — or 96% alcohol by volume – this clear Polish spirit has been crowned the world’s strongest, weightiest liquor. While vodka is a commonly ranked favorite type of spirit among drinkers, Spirytus is best used as part of a well-informed repertoire of cocktails and the occasional boozy dessert. In addition to grains generally used in making rectified spirits, the most potent version of Spirytus Rektyfikowany also uses potatoes. A distilling process called hydro-selection filters out impurities and aromatic elements, leaving behind a neutral yet potent liquid that must be heavily diluted before consumption.

Top 10 most powerful vodka brands

For flavored vodkas, it can be more difficult to fully guarantee that flavored ingredients haven’t come in contact with any trace of allergens during the suppliers’ production processes. There are many ways to enjoy vodka, but the main thing to ensure is that it’s enjoyed ice cold. Before drinking vodka or preparing any vodka-based cocktails, store the bottle in the freezer for a few hours. Infusing vodka with fruits or herbs lengthens the creation process by around three weeks. These vodkas have much stronger flavor profiles than plain vodka and can be found on the market in different colors with varying aromas.

Produced at the Hampden Distillery in Trelawny, this rum is crafted from molasses and distilled in traditional pot stills. On your tongue, you’ll taste notes of coriander, olive, tarragon, radish, anchovies, soy sauce, chives, and more, offering up a truly unique flavor profile. So, raise a glass, prepare your palate, and come along strongest vodka on a journey that delves into the pinnacle of strength and intensity through the nine strongest liquors in the world.

Devil Springs Vodka is only slightly lower in alcohol by volume coming in at a “mere” 80% ABV. Alternatives to Sklar’s Balkan 176 Vodka are easier to find in the vodka category of drinks. Finding alternatives for Polmos Spirytus Rektyfikowany in the vodka category is near impossible. Fortunately, other liquors can compete on an even keel when comparing the ABV percentages.

From the Bee’s Nice to the Chi Chi, you’ll find something for every taste. The company even features posts about how to clean with the alcohol as well as how to make DIY sugar scrubs and perfumes. Old Brothers LROK 86.3 white rum is a distinctive and formidable spirit that hails from the renowned rum-producing region of Jamaica. This high-proof, unaged rum boasts an impressive alcohol content, making it a powerful representation of Jamaican distillation expertise.