Dolph Lundgren’s Hard Cut Vodka Punches Far Above its Weight Class

(Photos: Hard Cut)

Decades after his breakout role as the villainous Ivan Drago in “Rocky IV,” action star Dolph Lundgren is back in the headlines with the debut of a vodka distilled using Rocky Mountain water. Coincidence? We suspect not.

Whatever your opinion of the celebrity alcohol craze, there’s no denying that Lundgren has established himself as something of a renaissance man with interests in vastly different alleys. Born and raised in Spånga, Sweden, the eventual actor was at one point awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to MIT with a specialty in chemical engineering. Over the years, he dabbled as a bouncer, acquired a black belt in karate and partied at Studio 54 with the likes of Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. He’s co-authored a book (aptly titled “Extreme Fitness: How to Train Like an Action Hero”) and at one point teased a nutritional supplement brand that failed to materialize.

Now, seemingly buffer and blonder than ever at the ripe age of 67, Lundgren is going all-in on spirits.

On paper, Hard Cut is a fairly standard venture. Housed inside a 700-milliliter bottle labeled with muted shades of black and white, the brand describes itself as a firm response to a vodka category “gone soft.” The so-called hardness of the brand, as it were, thus comes from its above-average proof point of 45% ABV. The recipe is distilled in Idaho using locally sourced potatoes, and the end result clocks in at around 30 bucks most places spirits are sold. In other words, Hard Cut is a vodka brand through and through, decorated and described with minimal flourishes.

It almost feels like a relic from a bygone era. After all, celebrity-owned vodka was the spirits trend of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Everyone from Jay-Z to Robert DeNiro got in on the game, usually by iterating on an established formula that was unlikely to ruffle feathers inside a cocktail. 40% ABV, budget-friendly price tag, wheat and barley mashbill. Simpler times.

But preferences have changed. Monumentally so. In 2025, business-savvy stars are cashing in big on whiskey, tequila and pre-mixed cocktails. Vodka — always a staple on the shelf — has lost much of its Hollywood allure. The only other brands that come to mind from recent memory are Jason Momoa’s Meili Vodka and Pitbull’s Voli 305. By spirits industry standards, that’s a drop in the bucket.

Lundgren clearly sensed an opportunity — one that connected in a roundabout way to his background in chemical engineering.

“I looked at the vodka space, and it looked kind of boring compared to tequila,” Lundgren told Fox News. “A lot of people from Hollywood or entertainment have gone into tequila and whiskey. … Vodka was a wide-open field. … I wanted to have some fun and bring a little bit of an action movie pizzazz to it.”

Hard Cut Taste Test

We cracked open a bottle of Hard Cut and poured it into a tasting glass. Though the brand recommends it over ice, our preference is always to sip straight the first couple of times around.

On the nose, it’s more or less exactly what you’d expect. Abundantly neutral with whispers of wheat and buttery mashed potatoes. A hint of sweetness halfway between apples and nougat emerges after a few whiffs. It’s subtle and not remotely saccharine sweet. Already safe to say that Hard Cut probably doesn’t use any of the additives that are sadly commonplace in this category.

The biggest surprise comes by way of the mouthfeel. The vodka envelops the palate with a fantastic creamy character, soaking in with light flavors of sourdough bread, vanilla bean and pear. It’s not a flavor bomb, per se, but the palate still leaves plenty to chew on. The decision to bottle this at 90 proof was definitely the right choice, adding an unexpected depth that I imagine would work wonders inside a Bloody Mary or martini (for those of you that prefer either sans gin).

If you’re in the market for a premium vodka that won’t break the bank, Hard Cut checks every box on the list. Hats off to Dolph for a solid addition to the bar cart.

Find our full review of Hard Cut here.