USA TODAY 10Best
These are the 10 best vodka distilleries, according to readers
Best Craft Vodka Distillery (2022)
Russia and Poland were distilling vodka as early as twelve hundred years ago, and it has since become one of the world's most popular spirits, thanks in large part to its versatility in mixing. But vodka doesn't just belong in cocktails; while some distilleries compete to create the smoothest, clearest, and sometimes most flavorless variation, others are embracing vodka by making it with local, high-quality ingredients (including potatoes, wheat, corn and even grapes) with minimal distillation to allow the natural flavors to shine.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Vodka Distillery are as follows:
- Spirit Works Distillery - Sebastopol, California
- 619 Spirits - San Diego, California
- Ocean Vodka - Maui, Hawaii
- Vermont Spirits Distilling Co. - Quechee, Vermont
- Barr Hill - Montpelier, Vermont
- Cathead - Jackson, Mississippi
- Red River Distillery - Red River, New Mexico
- Smugglers' Notch Distillery - Jeffersonville, Vermont
- Middle West Spirits - Columbus, Ohio
- South Fork Vodka - Grass Valley, California
Photo courtesy of Spirit Works Distillery
No. 10:
Spirit Works Distillery, founded in 2012 in the heart of Sonoma County, California, is conducted by one of a small number of female distilling teams in the United States. Their vodka is handcrafted from 100% California organic red winter wheat and offers a super-smooth product with warm earthy notes and hints of vanilla.
No. 9:
San Diego’s first urban craft distillery makes Six One Nine Vodka from the city’s North Park neighborhood. The spirit is distilled entirely from cane sugar for a clean, smooth texture that’s naturally gluten free.
Photo courtesy of Ocean Vodka
No. 8:
OCEAN Organic Vodka began as an idea from a newspaper article about a Hawaiian natural resource – desalinated deep ocean mineral water drawn from 3000 feet below the Kona Coast. Combined with organic sugar cane, these quality ingredients are refined and blended into what some describe as a “premium organic vodka with a little more spirit.”
Photo courtesy of Jenna Rice Creative
No. 7:
Vermont Spirits works to craft their products with the mission of sharing the “Spirit of Vermont” across the United States in an operation striving to become environmentally carbon-negative. Their Vermont Gold vodka is batch-distilled from the sap of maple trees, then lightly filtered, so the unique quality of the maple fermentation shines through in the finished product.
Photo courtesy of Randy Hazelton
No. 6:
Caledonia Spirits’ Barr Hill Vodka began its story in 2011 with a beekeeper and distiller working together in northeast Vermont. Now distilled in Montpelier, this product is made entirely from raw honey – the life’s work of 893 honey bees in each 750mL bottle. The distillery’s heating and distilling techniques deliver the richness of nectar and wildflower fields into each glass of their unique vodka.
Photo courtesy of bhofack2 // Getty Images
No. 5:
Opened in 2010, as the first legal distillery in Mississippi, Cathead is known throughout the craft distilling industry for leading the effort in updating outdated liquor laws. Just three years after opening, their efforts to see tours and tastings legalized were successful. Cathead's vodka selection includes classic vodka, honeysuckle vodka, and bitter orange vodka. In addition to their legal work, Cathead pays tribute to Mississippi, the birthplace of blues music, by working with nonprofits that work to increase access to the arts.
Photo courtesy of Red River Brewing Company & Distillery
No. 4:
Red River Brewing Company is not just the first and only brewery and distillery in Red River, New Mexico, but also one of the highest elevation distilleries in the world. Our panel of experts selected Red River Brewing Company as one of the best vodka distilleries for their award-winning and most popular spirit, Silver King Vodka. In addition to distilling great spirits, Red River Brewing Company offers a full menu of great eats and stellar service.
Photo courtesy of Smugglers' Notch Distillery
No. 3:
Smugglers’ Notch Vodka is made from Idaho-grown grains and water from the Mount Mansfield watershed of Northern Vermont. The grain wash gets distilled in a four-column still and passed through a multi-stage filtration process for a smooth vodka with just a hint of sweetness. Smugglers’ Notch Distillery also makes an organic gluten-free vodka made from corn.
Photo courtesy of Middle West Spirits
No. 2:
OYO Vodka from Middle West Spirits in Columbus is made from Ohio-grown red winter wheat. The unfiltered vodka has a rich aroma and whiskey-like quality, perfect for sipping. The distillery also makes Honey Vanilla Bean, Barrel-Finished Honey Vanilla Bean and Stone Fruit versions.
Photo courtesy of Heather Lenhart
No. 1:
South Fork Vodka is a six-time distilled spirit that is 100-percent gluten-free and non-GMO. It has already become one of the most awarded vodkas in Northern California.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning distilleries!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Dennis Malcolm "Ale" Sharpton
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a... Read More
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event planner, host, speaker and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover everything from automobiles to culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage,” Ale has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites combined. His current media outlets include USAToday, Thrillist.com, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, Theinfatuation.com, ButterATL.com, James Beard Foundation, Atlanta Magazine, and others. Along with being featured in various publications, on the web, radio, podcasts, television, beer fests, conferences, and ongoing Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video series, Ale utilizes his Cornell University School of Hotel Administration education and vast work experience to consult in the culinary industry as well. Forbes, Smithsonian Institution, UNTAPPD, Good Beer Hunting, and numerous others have showcased Ale’s accomplishments. In a collaboration going on six years with brewing giant New Belgium, Ale has produced a beer he conceptualized called Piano Keys—a chocolate vanilla imperial stout—geared to support diversity and racial equality. This project with New Belgium also spawned his initiative, BrewGether, which raises funds to support nonprofits embracing the same mission as Piano Keys. Ale proudly owns AllWays Open Creative Solutions, an agency specializing in creative direction, logo design, branding, web design, video production, photography, consulting, and social media. Although a native New Yorker, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram (@realalesharpton).
Dennis Malcolm "Ale" Sharpton
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event planner, host, speaker and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover everything from automobiles to culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage,” Ale has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites combined. His current media outlets include USAToday, Thrillist.com, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, Theinfatuation.com, ButterATL.com, James Beard Foundation, Atlanta Magazine, and others. Along with being featured in various publications, on the web, radio, podcasts, television, beer fests, conferences, and ongoing Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video series, Ale utilizes his Cornell University School of Hotel Administration education and vast work experience to consult in the culinary industry as well. Forbes, Smithsonian Institution, UNTAPPD, Good Beer Hunting, and numerous others have showcased Ale’s accomplishments. In a collaboration going on six years with brewing giant New Belgium, Ale has produced a beer he conceptualized called Piano Keys—a chocolate vanilla imperial stout—geared to support diversity and racial equality. This project with New Belgium also spawned his initiative, BrewGether, which raises funds to support nonprofits embracing the same mission as Piano Keys. Ale proudly owns AllWays Open Creative Solutions, an agency specializing in creative direction, logo design, branding, web design, video production, photography, consulting, and social media. Although a native New Yorker, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram (@realalesharpton).
Dynie Sanderson
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has... Read More
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has been a food, wine and travel journalist and digital influencer living and indulging in life in the Napa Valley and around the world for over 25 years. She was founder, publisher and editor of GuestWest Magazine, Napa Valley’s first luxury lifestyle magazine; Food and Flavor Editor for Napa Valley Life Magazine and contributor to a variety of food and wine publications. Always seeking out the next wine region or food and wine festival to experience around the US and around the world to add to “Dynie’s Delicious Destinations.” Follow NapaFoodGal on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Dynie Sanderson
Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has been a food, wine and travel journalist and digital influencer living and indulging in life in the Napa Valley and around the world for over 25 years. She was founder, publisher and editor of GuestWest Magazine, Napa Valley’s first luxury lifestyle magazine; Food and Flavor Editor for Napa Valley Life Magazine and contributor to a variety of food and wine publications. Always seeking out the next wine region or food and wine festival to experience around the US and around the world to add to “Dynie’s Delicious Destinations.” Follow NapaFoodGal on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music... Read More
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist... Read More
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist specializing in the Caribbean. She is often circling the globe in search of a good story or racing through airports trying to make a flight. Melanie is a contributor to USA TODAY Travel and CaribbeanTravel.com, she covers the Caribbean for Montreal's The Suburban newspaper and she is the author of the blog The Caribbean Romance Report on MarryCaribbean.com and a contributor to the travel aviation publication Captain Jetson (captainjetson.com). When she's not taking five the under a palm tree, you'll find her at home on the sunny island of Montreal. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist specializing in the Caribbean. She is often circling the globe in search of a good story or racing through airports trying to make a flight. Melanie is a contributor to USA TODAY Travel and CaribbeanTravel.com, she covers the Caribbean for Montreal's The Suburban newspaper and she is the author of the blog The Caribbean Romance Report on MarryCaribbean.com and a contributor to the travel aviation publication Captain Jetson (captainjetson.com). When she's not taking five the under a palm tree, you'll find her at home on the sunny island of Montreal. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Ziggy Eschliman
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy... Read More
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy Eschliman is among America's most enthusiastic, authoritative and entertaining libation experts. Her internationally known company, ZigStyle, combines her artistry for wine country entertaining and gardening while integrating her expertise of wine & spirits, showcasing a unique lifestyle. For over 25 years Ziggy has set and reported trends in all things wine and spirits. Her radio shows are broadcast throughout wine country and are available online.
Ziggy Eschliman
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy Eschliman is among America's most enthusiastic, authoritative and entertaining libation experts. Her internationally known company, ZigStyle, combines her artistry for wine country entertaining and gardening while integrating her expertise of wine & spirits, showcasing a unique lifestyle. For over 25 years Ziggy has set and reported trends in all things wine and spirits. Her radio shows are broadcast throughout wine country and are available online.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
