7 Brands Of Vodka That Aren't Worth The Price

If you ask any spirits expert, they'll likely tell you that vodka can be one of the most difficult spirits to gauge. Even the brands that claim to be the smoothest and easiest drinking behind the bar can still have subtle notes of cracked pepper, grain, and citrus in their flavor profiles. But ultimately, it's a liquor that's flavorless by its very definition, typically with a clientele that tries to hide any remaining taste in mixers or cocktails.

Unlike super pricey bourbons and expensive tequila, where layers of complex flavors and years of aging are expected, the opposite tends to be true of vodka. This situation has created an unfortunate tendency in the market where people automatically equate inflated price tags and all-out gimmicks with higher quality. Inevitably, this also means that some well-intentioned drinkers are setting themselves up to get ripped off.

As a spirits expert, tasting note writer, and New York City bar owner for well over a decade, I've had the opportunity to try different versions of this relatively flavorless spirit from all over the spectrum. Just like any category of alcohol, I've been pleasantly surprised with some finds that prove even cheap vodkas can be more than worth your money. However, I've also learned that, like a gourmet meal, you can't simply overcharge your way to a better product. Here are some of the brands of vodka that are asking a lot more of you're wallet than they're worth.

Even if you're just after what's inside it, elaborately designed bottles have been a point-of-sale marketing tool for the alcohol industry for decades. Whether it's a tall, slender cylinder, a sculpturesque vessel, or something in between, brands do their best to catch your eye in the essential last pre-purchase moment in the store or at the bar. For this Dan Aykroyd-founded, Canadian-distilled vodka, the angle is decidedly macabre with a clear glass skull as its packaging.

Despite the fact that it's relatively squatty even when compared to relatively standard bottles on the shelf, there's no denying that Crystal Skull does look intriguing — especially when lit from below on a back bar. And coming in at around $55, this isn't exactly an eye-wateringly expensive purchase. But when it comes to actually drinking it, things start to get a little bare boned. While relatively smooth, there isn't much going on with this vodka that would make me want to fork over extra cash. This became even more apparent when I blind-tasted it in a lineup of other premium vodkas and wrongly assumed this was on the lower end of the price scale.

Even if it might inspire a Hamlet monologue each time you pick it up, you're mostly paying for over-the-top packaging and here. The spirit itself isn't any more remarkable than bottles that cost $10 to $15 less on the shelf. Consider picking up a bottle of Reyka instead, which forgoes the over-the-top packaging while still delivering a top-notch spirit.

Most people assume that a Russian connection makes a vodka superior to other options. After all, the drink is inextricably (and authentically) linked to the country, even if historical evidence suggests the spirit was likely first made in Poland. Because of this connotation, Russian-made Hammer & Sickle appears to have a leg up on the market as shoppers assume its provenance will all but assure higher quality.

In this case, the spirit is indeed crisp and pleasing on the palate. This is especially true when served incredibly well chilled and as a part of a robust meal or between bites of caviar. But if you're footing the bill, you might lose your enthusiasm for the origin story. While I can attest that it's relatively smooth, this foreign spirit tends to retail at about $90 for a 750 milliliter bottle, putting it solidly in the top tier of the category. This significant price jump does not provide an equal quality bump over most other premium vodkas. I imagine that prices will only get worse in the near future, as there's an outright ban on imported Russian alcoholic beverages due to the invasion of Ukraine. Overall, you're better off buying two bottles of something else.

Some liquor brands use star power in the form of celebrity endorsements to drum up attention, but this one takes it almost literally. This vodka from a relatively unknown French producer was steeped with a piece of a meteorite that was found in the late 1970s during distillation. All told, only about 4,800 bottles of the wheat-based spirit were made during its initial run, making it about as rare a spotting in the wild as an actual shooting star.

But is it out of this world enough to warrant its $200 price tag? Hardly. I was one of the lucky few writers who received a sample bottle during its release, which (as intended) created a significant splash on social media. I coordinated a tasting with some industry colleagues and casual cocktail enthusiast friends, during which we sipped it neat and in martini format. The majority of us enjoyed the body and flavor (including myself), who mostly appreciated the medium-full body, smooth texture, and undeniable minerality that worked especially well in a vodka cocktail format. But ultimately, we all agreed it was over the top to spend that much on a single bottle of unflavored spirit.

Let's be clear: There always have been and likely always will be exorbitantly priced alcoholic beverages on the market. But when it comes to truly over-the-top expense, it might be nearly impossible to beat Billionaire Vodka. As the name suggests, this English-distilled spirit has no qualms about aiming for the 1% with a price tag of a cool $3.7 million.

So, what's the big deal about a single bottle of alcohol that costs more than several modest-sized homes, multiple years' salaries, or the amount of money needed to start a small distillery of your own? The bottle itself is practically a designer item, covered in 3,000 diamonds and a faux fur jacket conceived by famed fashion designer Leos Verres. It is then hand-delivered to buyers in a custom leather briefcase to practically anywhere in the world.

What's clear here is that no amount of quality and delicious taste could ever justify dropping nearly 40 times the individual lifetime average spent on alcohol for a single bottle. More art piece than serious spirit, this brand is simultaneously tapping into shock and awe for the general public and conspicuous consumption for the ultra-wealthy. But even if you were willing to go all out on a bottle, you might be out of luck: The company's website appears to have gone offline at some point in the last few years.

When prices get high, it can sometimes feel like spirits are taking a page from the bourbon playbook. That might be the case for CLIX, a super premium vodka produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, which also rolls out coveted whiskies like Eagle Rare, E.H. Taylor, Sazerac, and even the Van Winkle lineup. While it might seem like a catchy moniker, its name is actually Roman numerals for 159, referring to the number of separate distillations the company says it uses during the production process.

Because of where it's made, this is one of the rare vodkas that can also claim to be produced from the same grain and water source as some of the country's most coveted whiskies. This tends to shine through on tasting, with this wheat-based vodka showcasing a silky smooth body with hints of citrus zest and crushed peppercorns on the palate. But with pricing typically ranging from $310 to $330, I wouldn't go so far as to say the extra spend is warranted. Instead, I genuinely believe the brand's entry-level Wheatley Vodka is not only a suitable stand-in, but one of the better value bottles on the entire market when it comes to relatively cheap vodka. The best part? That one will only run you about $20 for a 750 milliliter bottle — or about one-sixteenth of the premium price.

Divadom is a title usually bestowed on someone whose artistic talents are surpassed only by their own set of expectations and standards. That's why it should come as no surprise that a vodka calling itself Diva would go above and beyond in an effort to create some lore for itself. Similar to, the Scottish-made spirit is triple distilled and filtered seven times for a smooth taste. But in a truly rare break from traditional methods, it is also filtered through precious stones, including rubies, gems, and diamonds (an interesting, albeit totally unnecessary detail).

Taking one look at the jewel-bedecked bottle should likely tip you off that this product won't exactly be a budget buy. Customers going for the "full" experience will need to pay a whopping $1 million for their own, which includes a glass wand filled with green, pink, or blue Swarovski crystals that can be saved as a keepsake. Sure, you can get the vodka without the precious stones for much le​​ss, at about $3,700 apiece. But there's absolutely nothing to suggest that paying a premium for this relatively basic spirit will be anywhere near worth the price.

It's not uncommon for alcohol brands to offer different tiers of the same product with increasing price points. For spirits like expensive tequila or whiskey, where significant aging plays a factor, this is a relatively logical move — especially given how many extra years it can take for the product to actually make it onto the market. However, things get murkier with unaged products like vodka that quickly run out of reasons to charge more.

The Beluga line serves as a perfect example of this. The once Russian-made and now Latvian-produced, Montenegrin-bottled vodkas are well-respected in the spirits industry for their smooth body, velvety texture, and lightly citrusy, floral flavor profiles. The introductory vodkas on the cheaper side of the spectrum starts at about $35 for a bottle of the brand's Noble vodka before slowly working its way up in price. However, by the time you reach the Beluga Gold Line vodka, you've gone too far: Ranging from $100 to $200 on average, the top-shelf spirit doesn't have three to six times as much complexity to warrant the cost. And while I personally enjoy the hints of crushed flower petals and light, soft sweetness on the palate, I'm only ever going to reach for this option if it's on someone else's tab.