10 Best Vodkas in the Philippines 2024 | Kanto, Absolut and More

Filipinos will be proud of this vodka because of the award it garnered in the Flavored Vodka category last 2019 in the SIP (Spirit International Prestige) Awards USA. Expertly crafted by Distileria Barako, a small-batch distillery located in Malay, near Boracay in Aklan, the name Kanto is a Tagalog word that refers to the street corner where men usually gather to have a drink. 

This infused vodka is made to pay homage to the unique drinking culture of Pinoys, the tagayan. Its taste is the combination of smooth vodka and the sweet tang of salted caramel. Reviewers love it because it's easy to drink as is when chilled and is good to add in cocktails as well to bring a richer texture to their concoction. Call out your friends and enjoy this vodka as it was meant to be!

Known for its flavored vodkas, Absolut is a Swedish brand that traces its roots back to 1879. In the beginning, this spirit was locally bought and consumed only in Sweden and its neighboring areas. It was not until 1979 that the brand was introduced to the global market. 

The company only uses locally grown wheat for the mash and purified waters from their protected wells. It performs a continuous distillation method invented by Lars Olsson Smith, the founder of the company. The result is a distinctly rich, full-bodied taste with a smooth character of grain and hints of dried fruit at the end. 

As of writing, various flavors are available in the market, and aficionados are always on the lookout for their limited-edition releases. The company features unique bottle artwork that is inspired by music, fashion, modern, or contemporary art.

Launched in 1997, the French brand Grey Goose was created as a direct reply to Absolut vodka. The spirit is distilled using wheat from Northern France that goes through a five-column process to extract the neutral spirit. The spring water, which came from France's cognac region, is blended with the spirit, then demineralized and limestone-filtered  

The distillers also perform a unique practice of washing the bottles with vodka and soaking the corks in vodka. This ensures that no other liquid touches the bottle except for the vodka itself. 

Its aroma is peppery with hints of almond, and the taste has notes of anise and rye. The finish is long with warm creamy traces of pepper and spices. Although this comes at a relatively higher price point, this is a great gifting liquor for any occasion.

Russian Standard is a brand that produces premium vodka, which has been distilled to the Tsar's standard since 1894. Each bottle carries Professor Dmitri Mendeleev's signature as a reference to the premium quality that he set years ago. The bottle's shape was inspired by the 200-ton bell commissioned by Tsarina Anna. 

Made from winter wheat grown in the black soils of the Russian Steppes, the vodka is mixed with pure glacial water from Lake Ladoga's granite basin. The distillery in St. Petersburg combines the ingredients and allows it to pass through the distillation process four times. 

The result is a clean and smooth spirit that smells of white pepper and wheat. The tasting note is composed of pepper with hints of aniseed on a clean moderate finish. If you want to taste the real deal when it comes to Russian vodka, you may have already found what you're looking for.

Skyy's creator maintains that the vodka is nearly congener-free due to the distillation process it underwent. A congener is a substance that causes hangovers and high stomach acidity. The company explored a quadruple-distillation and triple filtration process, plus a team of specialists, to develop a product with the fewest impurities. 

Made from wheat and water enriched with Pacific minerals, the taste has a slight sweetness with a subtle grain and black pepper notes. Its aroma has faint coffee bean, and vanilla notes that finish in a clean peppery mocha hint. You can liven up your cocktails without compromising taste with this inexpensive yet high-quality vodka.

This vodka's production starts with wheat and rye grains mixed with artesian water and is fermented for 60 hours. The distillation is done three times and diluted with more artesian water, then filtered through quartz, sand, activated charcoal, and cloth, in that order. 

The final product is a classic spirit with a peppery aroma and a cleaner licorice charcoal finish. Its taste has a slight sweetness and creamy mouthfeel with hints of citrus and black pepper. Experts say you should drink it straight, but it will still shine even when used in cocktails or mixers.

The smooth but complex character of the spirit was derived using Dankowskie Zlote rye and pristine artesian water from wells located on the grounds of the distillery in Zyrardow. The quadruple distillation by fire developed interesting flavor nuances and a distinct texture. 

The aroma has a faint tangerine zestiness with floral notes. The flavor has vanilla, almond, and pepper hints with a creamy mouthfeel that ends in a grassy, spicy aftertaste. If you're looking for luxurious vodka that is perfect for a martini or just on the rocks, the Belvedere will not disappoint.

Who says Pinoys cannot craft a world-class vodka? Full Circle Distillery, a family-owned and managed distillery in Calamba, Laguna, is the maker of ARC Archipelago Lava Rock Vodka. ARC Lava Rock Vodka garnered international acclaim by winning Gold at the prestigious 2021 ASCOT Awards and Double Gold at the 2021 SIP Awards, the world’s largest consumer competition.

ARC vodka is distilled in small batches and takes on the minerality of the rich topography of the country. Naturally filtered over lava rocks from the Mayon and Taal volcanoes, it presents a clean, crisp, and smooth body from the beginning until the end. 

Full Circle handcrafts a line of artisanal spirits that celebrates the wondrous tropical flora and terroir of the Philippine Archipelago. ARC Vodka is naturally filtered over lava rocks from the volcanoes of Taal and Mayon, which lends a hint of minerality to the spirit.

Made with grapes as a base ingredient, Ciroc vodka is produced by a family in France that has been in the wine business for over 400 years. One of its biggest draws is a five-time distillation process, the first four of which take place in column stills before its last distillation at the historic Distillerie de Chevanceaux. 

Its taste has a lemony zest with a bit of honey sweetness for a silky mouthfeel. The clean aroma has a delicate sage tinge with a finish of subtle citrus overtones. If you have the budget to splurge on ultra-premium vodkas, you may want to try out this French-made vodka for a change.

The Crystal Head production starts with Canadian corn that is distilled four times to produce a neutral spirit. Mixed with Newfoundland water to bring down the concentration, it is then filtered through quartz crystals called Herkimer diamonds. Each head is cut from Italian Bruni glass that looks like it came straight out of an Indiana Jones movie set.

The neutral aroma of the vodka has a faint whiff of vanilla creme that has a bitter burnt sugar flavor and a sharp pepper taste. The aftertaste is dry, with a pronounced cracked black pepper flavor and a lingering charcoal finish. Apart from the original vodka, there are two other variants called Aurora and Onyx, plus two other limited editions offered as collectibles.