5 British Vodkas To Splash Out On

There is an unmistakable trend towards better and more mindful drinking in the UK, which in our opinion is long overdue.

We have talked before about the British spirits industry and how it has been revolutionised, you just need to check out our rundown of the Top 50 British Spirits to see some of the great spirits available in the UK.   

Vodka has a tough time for many years, but has always been a category of spirit that is the weapon of choice for many bartenders. Lambasted for its lack of character or interesting flavour profile,  thankfully perceptions have started to change.

We have moved on at a pace from the staples in the early 2000s of Smirnoff and Absolut and now we now enjoying the glut of British artisan vodkas.

The one thing we ask kindly, please banish your preconceptions of vodka as a dull, flavourless liquor. The products below are top of the class and in turn delicious, surprising and full of character.

Black Cow Vodka, 70cl, 40% – £26.82 The Drink Shop

Black Cow vodka is made on a farm in West Dorset and it is the worlds only pure milk vodka. Confused? Vodka made of milk?

It’s made using the whey by-product of the cheese-making that the Black Cow farm is famous for and the result is an incredibly smooth, genuinely creamy vodka. Black Cow is a superb vodka, full of unique character and worth every penny.

Chapel Down Chardonnay Vodka, 70cl, 40% – £32 Chapel Down

Chapel Down is a major success story. One of the founding fathers of the UK’s world-renowned wine industry, it has turned it’s talented hands to various other liquid projects, one of which is this sensational vodka.

Chapel Down vodka uses distilled Chardonnay grapes as the base for this smooth, delicate vodka. It’s light to the taste and extremely delicate on the palate…a million miles away from those astringent flavour profiles of some of the worlds leading vodka brands.

Another star British vodka, Chapel Down is the perfect tipple to buy as a gift for the vodka enthusiast.

TOAD Oxford Rye Vodka, 70cl, 40% – £34.95 Master Of Malt

The Oxford Artisan Distillery (or TOAD) have created a beautiful, delicately spicy rye vodka that we have a lot of time for. Believe it or not, TOAD is the first distillery in the ancient city of Oxford and what we love is their philosophy and respect for provenance.

Oxford Rye is another example of how good vodka can be. The flavour is a delight and we especially like their signature serve, The Rooftop Lemonade with Oxford Rye Vodka, Fresh Lemonade and cucumber. Watch out for TOAD.

Blackdown Silver Birch Vodka, 70cl, 37.5% – £26.59 Master Of Malt

A relatively new British distillery who have got their ducks in a line.

This vodka is a fine testament to the great things they are doing, made with 100% British wheat grain, filtered 7 times and then infused lightly with Silver Birch sap to give it a very subtle sweetness.

We love this product and it’s unique positioning in the vodka market, with the light flavour of the sap really elevating the liquid.

The Lakes Ultra Smooth Vodka, 70cl, 40% – The Lakes Distillery £35

The Lakes Distillery in the heart of the Lake District, a beautiful world heritage site in the north-west of England, make really delicious spirits, and their vodka is no different.

They have the benefit of having super pure water on their doorstep and due to the Lakes location, the water is of an incredibly high quality. This shows in their vodka, which is ultra-smooth with a rounded, sweeter taste.

The Lakes Distillery are one of the best spirits producers in the UK and one to watch.