Vodka is often a mistaken spirit, relegated to cocktails and overlooked as something worthy of sipping straight. But chilled top-shelf vodkas paired with caviar? That’s an exceptional special-occasion pairing. The key to finding the best top-shelf vodkas actually has nothing to do with price. There are plenty of good ones hovering around the $20 to $30 range. In fact, some of our spirits experts point to Tito’s ($18) and Kettle One ($19) as their vodka of choice. Finding a quality vodka comes down to applying some skepticism to how many times it’s been distilled and scanning the ingredient label.
“I look for companies that don’t tout things like ‘distilled 10 times!’ ” says Kim Haasarud, president of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild and owner of Garden Bar in Phoenix, Arizona. If the vodka needed to be distilled 10 times, what did the product start with that it took that much work to make it smooth? Three times, maybe four, should be more than sufficient for an already quality product to be refined, she says.
Another rule of thumb when perusing the aisles of your local liquor store: In general, a nice bottle of vodka will only have two to three ingredients, says spirits expert Zach King, bar manager at Curio, inside Denver Central Market in Denver, Colorado.
Vodka is a neutral grain spirit, so while you’re not experiencing flavor to the degree of other spirits, you can still get some subtle nuances and mouthfeel, Hassarud adds.
Here, spirits experts share their favorite top-shelf vodkas worthy of a spot on your bar cart.
Chopin Family ReserveCourtesy Image
1. Chopin Vodka
“Potato vodkas are unique in their fresh, earthy aroma and creamy mouthfeel,” says Haasarud. For a solid introduction to the almighty potato vodka, Haasarud recommends Chopin Potato Vodka. It has a long, clean finish and you can count on it to be your new go-to for martinis with olives. For your top shelf, Chopin also sells a super-premium potato vodka called Chopin Family Reserve, which is made with young potatoes and aged in Polish oak barrels for two years. This reserve vodka has notes of licorice and clove.
You’ve got enough Russian bottles on your bar cart. Make room for a smooth-on-the-palate vodka from—trust us on this one—Japan. Nikka Coffey Vodka has a base of corn and barley malt, each individually distilled then blended together, King says. The secret to its insane smoothness is credited to a tried-and-true distillation process: Nikka makes its vodka in the same still as its award-winning whiskies, then filters it through white birch charcoal. “There’s a faint note of peaches and a little bit of mint,” he says. It’s smooth on its own, but works well in a vodka tonic, too.
Stolichnaya Elit Vodka makes quite the journey before it arrives on your bar cart. Grains come from the wildly fertile black soil of Russia’s Tambov Region. Once distilled, the spirit travels to Latvia, where it’s blended with artesian well water. Then, it’s filtered through super-fine quartz sand and Russian birch wood charcoal. And finally it goes through a signature freeze filtration at -64 degrees Fahrenheit. The result? “It’s a super clean, spicy vodka that comes together with a smoky finish,” says Elvis Mendez, beverage director at Mister French NYC. “I love it on the rocks and usually serve it with a lime wheel.”
For another solid sipper, Mendez recommends Double Cross Vodka, made with winter wheat and water from an aquifer 200 feet below Slovakia’s Tatra Mountains. “Lots of peppery and sweet notes linger at the first sip, and it follows with silky, citrusy tones that make it a great afternoon pick-me-up,” Mendez says.
Old World traditional vodkas produced in the “Vodka Belt” of Eastern Europe are favorites of Tony Abou-Ganim, author of Vodka Distilled and partner at Libertine Social at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. He recommends Belvedere, which often gets credit for pioneering the ultra-premium category of vodka. “It’s an Old World style with big rye character that stands up and is noticed,” says Abou-Ganim, also a lifetime member of the U.S. Bartenders Guild. He recommends drinking Old World vodkas neat, straight from the freezer, paired with smoked or pickled fish, rich cheeses, and caviar.
Overlooking Lunan Bay, Arbikie Highland Estate distillery is on the East Coast of Scotland. The name for Haar vodka comes from the coastal fog that so frequently shrouds the distillery. Made with a Zulu wheat, it’s creamy, complex, and terroir-driven. Ektoras Binikos, co-owner and head mixologist at Sugar Monk in Harlem, NY, loves this vodka because it’s soft and delicate with aromas of pine, thyme, black wet moss, and a bit of vanilla. “It would make a killer martini and pairs very well with smoked salmon, lox, or caviar,” he says. Arbikie also makes a strawberry vodka that might just change your mind about flavored vodkas.
Not only is this Hangar 1 bottle a high-end vodka, it’s a conversation starter. “As the name suggests, the famous Californian fog is transformed into water, then used to produce vodka,” says mixologist Timo Torner of Cocktail Society. The fog-to-bottle vodka has notes of pears, citrus, and honeysuckle and is a sophisticated sipper.
There’s no doubt when the weather turns colder as we settle into winter, stouts take center stage. And while we enjoy all its iterations: standard stout, imperial stout, and robust barrel-aged stouts, we think this malty, chocolate-filled beer’s close cousin deserves a little respect as well. Of course, we’re talking about the oft-overlooked porter. And the best porters, oh buddy, they’ll have you rethinking your seasonal bevvie of choice.
For those uninitiated, the porter style had its genesis in England like many other iconic beer styles. It first appeared in the 1700s and is (you guessed it) named after porters—individuals tasked with transporting luggage.
A confusing origin story
“Stout is the direct descendant of porter. In the 1700s, it was common to use the word ‘stout’ to refer to a bolder, higher-alcohol version of any beer style, much in the same way we use the word ‘imperial’ today,” says Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing for Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, AZ. “Porter was the most popular beer of the day, and over time, “stout porter” became a popular variant. But by the late 1800s, demand for regular porters evaporated, and stout porter shortened simply to stout.”
But more has changed between the 1800s and today than just our penchant for wearing top hats. “Today, most brewers seem to market beers as either stout or porter based on vibes, rather than on any notable stylistic differences,” he says.
Specifically, porters are known for their dark, almost pitch-black color and rich, sweet flavor profile. If you were to drink a porter and a stout side by side, you might even have difficulty discerning the differences between the two.
Stout versus porter is an enduring topic of discussion in the brewing industry. “While there’s no debating the porter came first—and stout used to be called stout porter, so it was a stronger version of a porter—the lines have become very blurred over the years,” says Rob Lightner, co-founder of East Brother Brewing in Richmond, CA.
“I would venture that even among professionals, a blind taste test would often yield inconclusive results,” says Lightner.
The difference between porters and stouts
Porters tend to be on the milder, more chocolatey end of the spectrum, Lightner says, whereas stouts are typically a little stronger and more roasty. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule
Fowle agrees, “Porters tend to be fruitier, sweeter, and less bitter than stouts, with cocoa and caramel flavors in balance with dark malt bitterness. And stouts are usually hoppier, drier, maltier, and more coffee-forward—and may even have a touch of acidity.”
Whether or not they fit neatly into boxes, one thing’s for sure: both make for incredible cold-weather brews.
“As the nights grow longer, drinking a light, summery beer just doesn’t seem right,” says Fowle. “Porter is the perfect style for the transition to winter: warming and toasty yet not too heavy, with flavors of coffee, chocolate, and pie crust that correspond with autumn weather and holidays.”
It’s the perfect time to broaden your repretoire. Sweet, robust, warming, and well-suited to the season, here are the best porters to drink now.
Courtesy image
1. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
There are few porters more well-respected than Deschutes’ iconic Black Butte Porter. It’s brewed with Cascade and Tettnang hops as well as 2-row, Chocolate, Crystal, and Carapils malts as well as wheat. This 5.5% ABV year-round offering is great for cold-weather drinking because of its mix of roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate. It’s a robust, subtly sweet beer perfect for imbibing on a crisp fall night.
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
Marius Bugge
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Marius Bugge
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
Marius Bugge
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top. Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
If you haven’t picked up a jump rope since elementary school, you’re missing out on a fantastic cardio workout. Not only will you burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time—200 to 300 calories in 15 minutes—but jump ropes can also improve your coordination and agility. Better yet, jumping rope doesn’t require much space, so it’s easy to do at home, and it’s often more mentally stimulating than jogging or swimming.
Choosing a Jump Rope
When deciding which jump rope is best for you, it’s important to determine what your goals are. While lightweight speed ropes are popular for cardio-focused training, weighted or drag ropes will be best for those focused on strength training.
No matter what your training goals are, we’ve got you covered with this roundup of 10 jump ropes from top brands including Crossrope, TRX, Rogue, and more.
The Best Jump Ropes of 2022
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
