The Most Expensive Vodka
Whether distilled in gold or made for British royalty, some vodka has a hefty price tag— this is the most expensive vodka in the world.
Image via YouTube/ultrapremiumvodka
Vodka was never meant to be a luxurious liquor. It has been a staple in the lives of Slavic people since the Middle Ages, and in recent years has became a profitable export for the region. The word itself stems from the slavic word voda, which literally means water. If that doesn’t explain the significance and commonplace of the substance in Slavic cultures, I don't know what does.
In the modern era, a bottle of vodka has solidified its place as the cheapest and arguably easiest ways to get completely wasted. It’s a plain liquor, often best served alone or with ice. In many ways, it reflects its lexical origins: vodka is the water of alcohol. Just like water, a good vodka is completely inoffensive, has a neutral taste, and doesn’t burn on the way down.
The beverage has also secured its spot in popular culture. As the primary ingredient in extremely popular cocktails such as the Cosmopolitan, Bloody Mary, and vodka tonic, it has become a mandatory edition to any bar. As vodka gained popularity, it started to become referenced in film, which in turn gave way to even greater popularity. In James Bond, the famous line, “shaken, not stirred” is in reference to his iconic vodka Martini. In The Big Lebowski, the Dude’s drink of choice is a White Russian, a mix of vodka, cream, and coffee liquor. It has surpassed all of its humble beginnings, and with a rise to the spotlight, it has been subject to much experimentation.
The most obvious way to experiment with alcohol is to make it as expensive as humanly possible, and vodka is no stranger to this experimentation. Whether distilled in gold, covered in diamonds, or made for British royalty, vodka brands have definitely found ways to give their spirit a hefty price tag. So without further delay, here's the most expensive vodka in the world.
Honorable Mention: Swarovski Alizé
Price: $2000
Alizé developed a limited run of Valentine's Day-themed bottles, claiming to have produced "the original drink of love." The only problem is you might run into some relationship issues when your partner finds out you spent $2,000 on a bottle of Alizé. The drink mixes vodka, Cognac, passion fruit, strawberry, lychee, and rose. What could be more romantic than Swarovski crystals on Valentine's Day? Oh, right, not spending $2,000 on a bottle of Alizé.
10. Stoli Elit: Himalayan Edition
Price: $3,000
How could anyone justify pricing a bottle of vodka at $3,000? Stolichnaya does, by explaining that it uses pure water from underground reservoirs in the Himalayan Mountains, mixed with Russian winter wheat. But that alone isn't enough to get to spend $3000, right? Well, the bottle is made of hand-blown glass, and each bottle comes with a gold-plated ice pick (though if you contemplate sticking the ice pick into your head after you realize you just spend $3,000 on a bottle of vodka, that's entirely understandable).
9. Iordanov Vodka
Price: $3,905
Anything that has 8,300 Swarovski crystals attached to will not come cheap, and Iordanov Vodka is no exception. Coming in at $3,905, the appropriately-named Decadence Edition vodka flaunts high-class quality with the hand-designed, crystal-lined bottles.
8. Oval Swarovski Crystal Vodka
Price: $6922
Released in 2008, this high-end vodka was only available in the coolest nightclubs, and for good reason: your average joe isn't going to drop almost $7K on spirit. Adding to the grandeur was the manner of display for the opulent bottle of booze, as it sat on a rotating LCD display, allowing for the 7,000 Swarovski crystals to draw your attention.
7. Belver Bears Belvedere Vodka
Price: $7200
The Belver Bears vodka was released in a limited edition run in the VIP Room in Cannes, St. Tropez, and Paris. Designed using a jeroboam from Belvedere vodka, these teddy bear-inspired bottles were designed by Jean-Roch. Question: Is it scarier to be attacked by a bear than to pay more than seven Gs on a piece of glass with a liquid inside it?
6. Imperial Collection Super Premium Vodka
Price: $8,600
The delivery process is what really makes this vodka: its carafe and cap are gilded and topped with an eagle, which is then placed upon a hand-crafted Fabergé egg (also gilded). However, before you make the decision to buy a glorified egg, check with your grandma—she might have some Fabergé tchotchkes you can have.
5. Absolut Crystal Pinstripe Black Bottle
Price: $10,000
Inspired by pinstripe suits, this swedish vodka comes in a black, hand blown, cut, and engraved bottle all wrapped up in a handmade chest. With just 10 units being produced worldwide, you’d be pretty hard pressed to actually find one to buy for yourself. But don't fear! Absolut also made 800 of the “cheap” clear edition of the bottle priced at a mere $1000.
4. Kors Vodka 24k, George V edition
Price: $24,500
If you want to feel like royalty, this is the vodka for you, seeing as it's literally made for kings. Using the same recipe and distillation process that Tsar Nicholas II used for the vodka he would send to the King of England, the company claims that their product tastes exactly the same as it would have back in the day. The vodka comes in a handmade crystal bottle with gold detailing, and is shipped in a walnut, velvet, and silk lined box. But if you don't care for the historical aspect of the vodka, Kors has your back. The company has two other vodkas priced at $8500 and $16,500, distilled in diamonds, and filtered through silver and gold respectively.
3. Diva Vodka
Price: $1 million
Diva Vodka is crafted through a meticulous distilling process, where the alcohol is triple refined and finished after pouring through precious stones. You don't really think that kind of care will come cheaply, do you? They do offer a bottle of the triple-distilled vodka for $3,700 (peasant prices), but that bottle doesn't come fitted with precious stones. For all you high rollers, the premier bottle of Diva Vodka will set you back a cool million. Let that sink in for a second.
2. Russo-Baltique Vodka
Price: $1.3 million
This vodka is produced by car manufacturer Dartz's Russo-Baltique vodka brand, and had reportedly retailed at $1.3 million. The bottle was crafted to mimic the classic design of Russo-Balt automobiles. If the price tag is too steep for you, check out this promotion: if you purchase one of their $1.6 million Dartz Prombron Monaco Red Diamond Edition SUVs, then you get three bottles of Russo-Balt for free. At that price, you can't afford not to buy it.
1. Billionaire Vodka
Price: $3.7 million
Leon Verres' "Billionaire Vodka" will set you back a staggering $3.7 million. Honestly, what gives? How are you going to call yourself Billionaire Vodka but charge less than one billion dollars? It's bullshit.
They do run the wheat-based spirit through diamonds to remove impurities, and the 5-liter bottle is adorned with 3,000 diamonds and faux fur (only because Verres is a staunch animal rights supporter), so that's cool. But it just seems like a fail.