National Vodka is unassuming. The bottle design is more function than flash. With a retail price around $13.00, though, the focus needs to be primarily on the vodka, not the marketing appeal. So, the question is: can National Vodka deliver on it’s promise of the “perfection of vodka flavor”?

The Shot

My mouth says National Vodka put it’s money in the right place. In true Russian style, the mild, tantalizing bitters play on the tongue with no ill side effects. As the vodka lingers in the mouth, it actually seems to become clearer, or cleaner, tasting as the bitters become less assertive. Finally, the swallow is completely smooth, leaving the mild bitters behind just enough that you know you’re drinking a great Russian vodka. I didn’t have a need for a chaser, and could actually see using this as a sipping vodka.

The Mixed Drink

I mixed National Vodka with various fruit juices, and I’m further impressed by how well it blends. There’s no hint of the vodka, even at mixtures near 50%. Not only can National Vodka be your go-to straight vodka, especially for budget minded drinkers, it can be your go-to mixing vodka. With credentials like this, National is terribly impressive.

Opinions

Erin had National Vodka straight. She is usually a little critical of Russian vodkas when drinking them straight, but gave National a great review due to its smoothness.

Initially, I wasn’t sure how well National Vodka could stand up among my other favorite reasonably priced vodkas, but National proved to be exceptional for drinking straight and for mixing in your favorite cocktail. If you can find a bottle, you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to buy it.