Russia has become a global pariah thanks to its invasion of Ukraine. Not only have many countries levied tough sanctions against Russia and some of its most powerful individuals, including President Vladimir Putin, but now even businesses and average citizens are boycotting Russia and supporting Ukraine, too.
Something a lot of businesses across the world have been doing is boycotting Russian vodka brands. Vodka is, of course, one of Russia’s most famous exports and a highly symbolic product, so it makes sense. When Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2022, bartenders around the world took to pouring vodka down the drain in protest, and liquor stores in Europe, North America and Australia pulled Russian products from their shelves. Read more on that here.
But before you go reaching for your favourite bottle of rotgut and start tipping it down the toilet, just wait a minute. Many vodka brands that you might assume are Russian are actually not Russian at all.
For example, Smirnoff, one of the world’s most popular vodka brands, is owned by Diageo – a British company – and if you buy a bottle of Smirnoff in Australia, chances are it was made either locally or in the United States.
So don’t waste good vodka. We here at DMARGE have put together a list of quality non-Russian vodka brands that you should consider purchasing if you too want to pour Putin down the drain and stand in solidarity with Ukraine.
RELATED: Australian Vodka Brands
Belvedere Vodka (Poland)
1/6
First up, we have Belvedere from Poland. The Polish claim it was them and not the Russians who invented vodka… Considering how delicious Belvedere tastes, we’re inclined to believe them. We’ve all seen the elegant frosted bottle, and we’ve all thought how good it would look sitting on our shelf at home. The great thing is, this Polish benchmark vodka doesn’t just look good – it tastes great too. Smooth, velvety and subtlety flavoured, Belvedere is a truly guilt-free sip.
Quick Vodka Facts:
• Rye vodka, quadruple distilled
• 40% alcohol
Crystal Head Vodka (Canada)
2/6
The bottle alone is reason enough to buy this vodka. The skull staring off your shelf doubles as a piece of art, just as intended by the co-founders of the brand, actor Dan Aykroyd and fine artist John Alexander. Okay, the bottle might be a bit gimmicky but the vodka is anything but. It’s a beautifully smooth drop with a slight burn to follow, and takes its name from the quartz crystals that it is passed through three times during the filtration process. It’s also made without any additives, oils or sugars. Crystal Head is an exceptionally pure vodka with an exceptionally cool aesthetic.
Quick Vodka Facts:
• Distilled four times from Newfoundland corn
• 40% alcohol
Haku Vodka (Japan)
3/6
Japan’s perhaps not the first place you think of when you think ‘vodka’ but just like Japanese whisky or beer, Japanese vodka is a thing of beauty. Haku means ‘white’ in Japanese and refers to the Japanese white rice that this fantastic vodka is distilled from. Soft, round and subtly sweet, Haku is great in cocktails but is also great for sipping neat, as it has very little burn and is incredibly smooth. Why drink sake when you can drink this?
Quick Vodka Facts:
• Uses a uniquely Japanese method of bamboo charcoal filtration
• 40% alcohol
Ketel One Vodka (The Netherlands)
4/6
Ketel One is one of those vodka brands that you might have thought was Russian, but nope – they’re actually Dutch. ‘Ketel’ is Dutch for kettle, and refers to the brand’s original copper pot still, “Distilleerketel #1.” The Nolet family that founded the brand is now in its tenth generation, and they’ve obviously learned a lot in that time because this is quite simply one of the world’s cleanest-tasting vodkas. There’s a reason bartenders love it.
Quick Vodka Facts:
• Small-batch vodka distilled from European wheat
• 40% alcohol
Absolut Vodka (Sweden)
5/6
One of the world’s most popular vodka brands, Absolut is absolutely not Russian in the slightest – it’s made in Åhus, Sweden, and has been since 1879. Famous for its minimalist bottle design and crisp, inoffensive taste, there’s a reason Absolut ranks as one of the most successful alcohol brands on the planet. Now, if only Sweden would join NATO…
Quick Vodka Facts:
• Triple distilled vodka, made from rich winter wheat
• Most of the range is 40% alcohol – although there is Absolut 100, which is 50% alcohol
Hartshorn Vodka (Australia)
6/6
Last but not least, we have an Australian vodka. Hartshorn is an independent distillery from Tasmania whose vodka is officially the first spirit in the world to be made from sheep whey – a novel use of cheesery waste. The spirit is made by fermenting the lactose sugar within the whey. This unconventional method means Hartshorn Vodka has a beautifully sweet and creamy taste, quite unlike any other vodka on the planet. If you’re not convinced, just know Hartshorn vodka won World’s Best Vodka at the World Vodka Awards in 2018. Try it for yourself – you won’t be disappointed.
Quick Vodka Facts:
• Incredibly small-batch, each bottle is hand-painted and signed by founder + head distiller Ryan Hartshorn
• 40% alcohol