How Many Times Does Tito's Distill Its Vodka?

From bourbon to gin, American distilleries produce a delicious range of spirits. Yet the best-selling brand nationwide may come as a surprise: Tito's Handmade Vodka. A bottom shelf vodka worth buying, this handy spirit's stocked on just about every bar nationwide.

Tito's distinguished itself from other vodkas with an artisan image, built as Texas' first distillery by a passionate entrepreneur. Its slightly sweet flavor and nice mouthfeel — all at an affordable price — has won over drinkers who may not even be fans of the spirit category. A large part of its success is its distillation process, which is largely kept secretive. So, fans of the liquor are kept wondering; how many times is the spirit distilled?

While no one knows for certain, the most popular estimate is six times, and some even claim seven. Although the precise number's hazy, what's clear is that Tito's distills far more than the average producer. Most vodkas only utilize two to three distillations to achieve a clean yet slightly flavorful result. Meanwhile, Tito's mysterious production process goes through many more distillation rounds to attain a nearly neutral-flavored spirit.

Several aspects of Tito's production are unorthodox. The brand advertises pot distillation; a method uncommon for vodka. Since it's both low-yield and doesn't produce a proof typical for vodka, most assume the brand uses a more industrial, continuously-distilled spirit, and then finishes it in a pot still. Such a combination makes the distillation count trivial; it's not tracked in the same manner for both methods.

Furthermore, Tito's claims to use a corn base — a testament that most vodka isn't actually made from potatoes. However, like with the pot distillation, many dispute such advertising. Due to its production volume, it's instead assumed that the company employs an imported neutral grain spirit (likely the continuous still component) that's finished in Texas. Since the entire distillation process isn't conducted in-house, this further obfuscates the distillation number. So really, the precise count isn't relevant for the spirit brand — it's not a reflection of its production. However, whatever method Tito's uses works, and will taste good alongside the best mixers for vodka.