5 Vodkas to Take Your Bloody Mary to the Next Level

We're finally admitting that this classic brunch cocktail deserves better vodka.

The Bloody Mary is to cocktails as jeans are to style: A deeply personal choice that says more about you than you may want to believe. As for the quintessential brunch and early morning flight concoction, it’s easy to get bogged down in the details of how you prefer your mix. Some people swear by specific pre-made ones; others prefer to take one of the store-bought jars or cans and zhuzh them up with all sorts of additional ingredients, with horseradish, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce among the most popular. Then there are the DIY Bloody Mary devotees, buzzing up everything in a blender from tomato juice and celery salt to hot sauce, lime juice, and a million other things in between.

So with all of that flavor already in the mix, you might think that your choice of vodka doesn’t make much difference…but it does! Dump a plastic handle of the cheap stuff in there, and no matter how great your mix is, the cocktail will ruin brunch, and possibly the rest of the day, thanks to a close-to-inevitable hangover. At the same time, you don’t necessarily want to spend a fortune on the vodka, either. When it comes to vodka for your Bloody Mary, high quality and reasonable pricing must go hand in hand — which is what makes these five so well-suited to your next brunch-time Bloody.

Double Cross Vodka

Crafted from durum winter wheat in Slovakia and filtered seven times, this will not only elevate your next Bloody Mary, but it also works just as well ice-cold, in a shot glass, as a chaser to your favorite brunch cocktail. It’s a vodka of serious smoothness that never sacrifices power or assertiveness. It’s terrific in a Martini, too, especially with a twist.)

Irvine’s Precision Distilled Vodka

This corn-based, Pennsylvania-crafted vodka comes from celebrity chef Robert Irvine and is distilled by Boardroom Spirits. It’s a subtly sweet spirit for under $20 that has just the right suggestion of lemon brightness, which allows it to absolutely sing in a Bloody Mary. Knowing that a portion of the proceeds of every bottle sold goes to the Robert Irvine Foundation, which helps support veterans, active-duty military, first responders, and their families, makes every cocktail taste even better.

Related: The 13 Best Gins for Every Home Bar

Kástra Elión Vodka

Distilled in Greece, this vodka makes for a thoroughly unique Bloody Mary. The distillate includes Greek olives, which lends it a savory character. If you’re a fan of garnishing your Bloody Mary with high-quality olives (or, okay, even the ones that come bobbing around in a jar and are stuffed with pimento cheese), this one is a great call. It also takes well to more lemon-forward Bloody Mary bases.

Mishka Premium Vodka

Balanced, mineral, and very smooth, this vodka is distilled from corn and bottled with spring water from Pennsylvania. It’s produced by This Life Forever, Inc., which was founded in 2007 by Master Distiller and CEO Russell Fletcher, and is the first minority-owned distillery in the state. The brand’s flavored vodkas are excellent, too, particularly the honey (just not in Bloody Marys!).

Related: 5 Best Tonics for a Gin and Tonic

Village Vodka

Made in Bennington, Vermont, by Village Garage Distillery, this is brought to proof using water from the state. The plush vanilla and citrus notes will both brighten and subtly sweeten up your cocktail, respectively. Also check out their terrific whiskeys — the Village Bonfire Smoked Maple Whiskey brings together five-year whiskey and smoked maple syrup beautifully.

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