The world’s best vodka – by the International Wine & Spirits Competition

Every year, some of the alcohol industry’s most experienced palates gather in London to sample thousands of liquids from around the world. The event is called the International Wine and Spirits Competition, and when the annual results are published, it can make or break a brand.

We have continually reported on IWSC winners across various subcategories of whisky, including Scotch, Irish, Bourbon and Rye. But now it’s time to take a look at what these judges had to say about the vodka industry. Because he has one release in particular that was totally unexpected.

The bottle in question is Prosperous Vodka, made by Kriol Distillery. What’s so remarkable about it? First of all, it received an incredible score of 99 out of 100. This is enough to make this product stand out as not only the highest rated vodka at this fair, but also one of the highest rated spirits around the world. all Category. No entries received a score of 100, and there were only 10 expressions in total with a score of 99.

But perhaps the more remarkable fact about Prosperous is where it came from. The product’s manufacturer, Kriol Distillery, is based just outside Cape Verde’s capital, Praia. Geography-savvy readers will already know that the country is a small island nation about 350 miles off the coast of West Africa. But few people equate this landscape with world-class vodka.

It’s time for that to change. Because, as the IWSC judges made clear, there is an incredible spirit that comes through from this part of the world. Hear the glowing praise they heap upon prosperity.

“An inviting aroma with a bready note. A tingling warmth of spices on the palate, complementing a pleasant grain backbone. Pleasant and easy drinking.”

It’s certainly a detailed tasting note for this style of spirit, which is often derided as “flavorless.” Prosperus’ secret sauce is that it’s made from a special variety of wheat. This adds a soft creaminess to the liquid, along with the aforementioned bready aroma. By comparison, the most popular brands of US-based vodka, such as Smirnoff and Tito’s, are all corn distillates.

Legally, vodka can be distilled from almost any raw material. And it’s important to keep that in mind when approaching the shelves at your local liquor store. Don’t think that great expression has to come from cold climate origins. Predictable places like Eastern Europe.

In fact, the sensational vodka is appearing in bottles all over the world, from Japan to southern Argentina. And yes, remote tropical islands like Cape Verde.

Getting your hands on Prosperous in the US isn’t too difficult either. Now it’s pretty widespread here. When you see it on the shelf, you can see that it depicts the mountainous landscapes of my home country in shades of blue. It sells for about $35 and makes an excellent vodka base for his martini.

Stay tuned for more standouts from the IWSC as the annual competition prepares to compile its 2024 rankings later this spring.