It may surprise you to learn that when it comes to alcoholic beverages, a higher price tag does not automatically mean better quality. In the case of vodka, there are plenty of high-end, budget-breaking choices that aren’t worth the cost and some notable cheapies that absolutely are, so don’t judge a bottle by its price tag.

Conventional wisdom would have you believe that cheaper vodkas burn on the way down and will leave you with a bad hangover, but the truth is slightly more complicated. Most vodkas end up tasting extremely similar due to the regimented distilling process, but a high-quality vodka will have a distinct taste and will go down smooth.

However, a hefty price tag does not equal high-quality vodka, and some brands charge more simply because good marketing convinces customers it’s worth more. However, not all vodkas are created equally; vodka made with high-quality ingredients, like custom-grown wheat, will always be worth more than vodka made with cheap ingredients, like sugar beets or molasses.