FIVE OF THE BEST Premium vodkas

The arrival of premium vodka can be traced back to the 1990s, when the category's overall popularity had gone stratospheric. Led by new brands such as Belvedere and Grey Goose, these spirits came in sleek, eye-catching bottles, and captured the imagination of drinkers around the globe.

- LAURA FOSTER

1 Absolut Elyx, Sweden

£33.95-£45/70cl Amathus Drinks, Amazon, Drink Supermarket, Harvey Nichols, Milroy's, Ocado, The Champagne Co, The Whisky Exchange

The luxury expression of Absolut, Elyx is made with winter wheat from the Råbelöf estate in southern Sweden, where wheat has been grown since the 15th century. Distillation occurs in a manually operated copper column still, and the result is a silky vodka with flavours of nutty granola, ginger, fresh-baked baguette and fudge. Alcohol 42.3%

2 Belvedere, £31.49-£40/70cl Poland

Amazon, Drink Supermarket, Gerry's, Harvey Nichols, Hedonism, Iceland, Majestic, Master of Malt, Milroy's, Selfridges, Spirits Kiosk, The Whisky Exchange, Waitrose