Black Vodka

If you’re tired of plain old vodka, you can always turn to flavored or designer products for a bit of a change. Some of these, of course, are all about the taste -- your apple, raspberry, citrus, and chili vodkas, for example -- while others are clearly about the sophistication -- your Grey Goose, Snow Queen and DIVA.

But there’s one line of vodka that stands out because of its color, and that vodka is black vodka.

How black vodka is made varies by manufacturer. Some color the vodka without adding any flavor -- though this claim is often disputed -- while others add flavor and change the color for an additional effect.

Flavored or unflavored, black vodka adds style and sophistication -- plus it’s a great talking point when used as a mixer.

The drinks
Because there are two primary types of black vodka on the market -- unflavored brands like Blavod and Fruko-Schulz and flavored products like Eristoff and Znaps -- not all of these drinks will work with just any black vodka. You should be able to substitute unflavored black vodka for regular vodka in a drink without any difficulty.

Things, however, can get a bit more complicated with the addition of wild berry or licorice flavors.

Black vodka is very versatile and can turn any of your favorite vodka-based drinks into a new experience. Be sure to experiment with any colored mixers for a cool twist on old favs.

We’ve sourced a handful of the best black vodka drinks out there -- either because they look cool or they taste great... or both.

Black Martini
What’s cooler than a sleek black martini with just a splash of vermouth? You could probably go with either flavored or unflavored brands here, but the classic martini should be made with unflavored.

Black Widow
This one’s a simple mix of black vodka and Red Bull (or cranberry juice if you prefer). If made properly, the vodka will float on top of the energy drink or juice. So, while it gets an A+ for appearances, you may want to stir this one up before taking a sip.

The Black Widow is great with flavored or unflavored black vodka.

October Screwdriver
Something bizarre and cool happens to Blavod when it’s mixed with orange juice -- you get a green drink. For more fun, chill your orange juice and layer the Blavod on top for a dramatic two-tone effect. You’d be well-advised to stick with unflavored black vodka for this one.

Black & Blue
This one’s made by floating black vodka on top of Blue Curacao, but to really pull it off well you need to make sure the Curacao is properly chilled. This drink is uber-cool and hits like a truck.

Black Jack
Do shots of Znaps Black Jack straight up -- that’s what it’s made for!
The controversy
Despite its growing popularity, some people will tell you that black vodka isn’t actually vodka at all. In fact, domestic American spirits can only legally be called vodka if they are without “distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color,” and black vodka clearly doesn’t fit this mold.

Luckily, other countries don’t have these standards, so it’s OK for Blavod, for example, which is produced in the UK, to call its product vodka when it’s clearly not without a distinctive color.

All of which is to say that we may never see a bottle of domestically produced black vodka in the U.S.