Vodka
Also called wódka, водка
A neutral spirit distilled to at least 95% ABV, filtered and cut to bottling strength, with no wood and only trace additions allowed. Its job in a cocktail is texture and strength without flavor, which lets citrus, coffee or vermouth lead. Grain, potato and grape bases differ in weight more than taste.
- neutral
- faint grain or potato sweetness
- clean mineral
- soft pepper
- creamy texture
- clean finish
Origin
US standards place vodka among neutral spirits: distilled at 95% ABV or higher, bottled at 40% or more, with no distinctive character beyond what tiny permitted amounts of sugar (up to 2 g per liter) and citric acid (up to 1 g per liter) provide, and never aged in wood. 'Charcoal filtered' may be claimed above a set carbon dose. The style traces to Poland and Russia, but the legal definition is about method, and vodka is made from grain, potato, grape and sugar beet around the world.
Common uses
- Vodka Martini
- Moscow Mule
- Espresso Martini
- Cosmopolitan
- Bloody Mary
- vodka soda
Sources
- 27 CFR 5.142 Neutral spirits or alcohol (vodka), Cornell Legal Information Institute · primary source, retrieved 2026-10-11