Part of the unique creation process behind Haku Vodka, the bamboo charcoal filtration is a Suntory proprietary method. White rice, a staple in Japanese culture, imparts a slightly sweet taste, ensuring the vodka is smooth and subtle on the palate, unlike regular grain-based vodka. The word can also be read as “brilliant” – a tribute to the craft of mastering a clear, clean tasting, and luminous vodka.

Effective as your go-to base for a Dirty Martini or poured straight over the rocks, our favourite way to chase this is with a dozen of Sydney’s finest rock oysters. It’s then distilled a second time through two different processes to create both flavor and volume, before being blended and filtrated in the Suntory Liqueur Atelier at Osaka Plant. Also sign me up for newsletters so I can get special offers, recommendations, and expert advice to my inbox! It’s the signature of House of Suntory‘s “Monozukuri” craftsmanship, and Haku is the new iteration of that philosophy. At the 2014 edition of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, LongLeaf Tea Vodka took out the top spot in the highly specific niche of ‘best-flavoured vodka in the Asia-Pacific’.While the OG Russian Standard may be said to have established the blueprint for smooth, premium vodka, the eponymous distillery packs even more of a punch with its top-of-the-line ‘Imperia’ bottling.

It’s distilled from rice, which naturally does not contain gluten, making it safe for people with gluten allergies or celiac disease. Filtered through bamboo charcoal, this spirit has a soft, subtly sweet taste with richer, grain notes.

A Mexican favorite, this cocktail is made with Haku Vodka, grapefruit juice, club soda, and a splash of lime juice. With more pepper and flinty characteristics than what you’d get from the typical French vodka, this is a great option to highlight how a distiller’s choice of staple ingredient can have an outsized impact on finished spirits. Ultimately, the muddy beginning and slightly too sweet conclusion are a bit at odds with one another, and the vodka never really braces the palate the way a top shelf vodka should. An entry-level offering from the House of Suntory (the Japanese beverage conglomerate known for its decidedly premium-grade whiskies) Haku vodka benefits from all the know-how and craft that you’d associate with the minds behind The Yamazaki.

ABV, and while that’s still plenty strong, it should also be noted that this helps to give the expression wide applicability in the base of most cocktails. Its clean lines and minimalist labeling reflect the 'less is more' philosophy, allowing the clarity of the vodka to be the focal point. One of the archetypal premium vodkas (along with Belvedere) you’ll find Grey Goose in virtually every national liquor retailer. Ferdynand is Vodka importer, exporter and specialist with over 30 years of experience in the Vodka industry.

Handpicked in Sri Lanka, this hero ingredient is then blended with a base spirit that has been made using rainwater from the Hunter Valley. If Haku Vodka does become available in the US, it will be interesting to see how it fares against other rice vodkas on the market.

This is due to the fact that Haku Vodka is made with Japanese white rice and filtered three times through bamboo charcoal. It’s tempting to chalk the success of Ciroc vodka up to a masterful marketing campaign from Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Crafted from Dankowskie Gold rye and quadruple distilled, this ultra-premium vodka is the definition of the word "smooth.All of that uniqueness in the way this vodka is produced adds up to — well — a fairly traditional, modern vodka. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. From production to presentation, Haku Vodka embodies the Japanese philosophy of "shibui" – the aesthetic of simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty. The makers of Haku Vodka are committed to sustainability, integrating practices that reduce waste and environmental impact. Haku Vodka’s slightly sweet undertone and unparalleled smoothness make it a versatile player in a multitude of cocktails.