“Vodka is such a polarizing spirit for bartenders,” says Arvid Brown, co-owner of Room for Improvement in Portland, Maine. “So many turn their noses up at the idea of it as a base spirit, yet so many of us still end up selling a great deal of it.” The past few years have seen a steady growth of appreciation for vodka cocktails, though, and Brown says that several bottlings in the spirit category are distinguishing themselves as more than just a “necessary evil.”
Case in point: The vodka Martini is no longer an abomination in the eyes of in-the-know bartenders; the oft-maligned drink is finally getting the attention it deserves.
Compared to a gin Martini, those ordering a vodka Martini “aren’t always looking for big flavor,” says Piper Kristensen, beverage director at Place des Fêtes in Brooklyn, where the vegetal, savory house Martini is vodka-based. But a good vodka can still show nuance and “personality,” as Kristensen puts it, without “putting up too much of a fight. It’s a tight needle to thread.”
To find the bottles that fit the bill, we asked a handful of bartenders for their top picks. Here are five vodkas worth seeking out for your next Martini, at every price point.