Vodka

With Craft Vodka Distilleries Popping Up
Left and Right, is Vodka the True American Spirit?

By Adam H. Graham for Valet.

Vodka is at a crossroads and there are two camps among the spirit's craft makers. One believes vodka should take on the flavor of its terroir, and the other stops at nothing to pursue neutral taste and odor. Which is right?

There are no easy answers in vodka-land. Some filter 10 or more times for a pure flavor, others say beware of the multiple filtered spirits because it's probably not a pure product to begin with.

While these spirited debates carry on, the American vodka boon quietly continues and craft distillers from Alaska to Florida are perfecting new and traditional techniques, distilling the stuff from regional and local ingredients using everything from honey and apples to oranges and oats.

Like it or not, the potent elixir has become American as apple pie. Sure, gin is having its heyday, and rye is all the rage, but nothing beats the booze we stole from Russia. Here's our exhaustive report of everything you need to know about the best American-made vodkas today.