Belvedere Vodka (700ml)

Belvedere Vodka from Polmos Zyrardow is crafted from 100% Polish rye, distilled four times and charcoal filtered. Easily recognised by its innovative packaging, the bottle depicts the Belvedere House, the Polish equivalent to the White House, the official residence of the Polish president in Warsaw. As of 2023, the brand made a move to organic certification as part of a commitment to sustainability. Sophie Clerc, vodka brand director at Moët Hennessy US, said: “When we have pledged to become an organic brand, our consumers fully supported our commitment. From the responses we are receiving, we see a tremendous interest and enthusiasm for this new iteration of Belvedere... We want consumers to understand that this isn’t a new Belvedere product, but rather an evolution of our iconic vodka. We’ve transitioned our recipe to feature 100% organic-certified diamond rye, crafted using the same proprietary process used for our non-organic predecessor that has been however upgraded in order to be organic-certified as well. It’s the same Polish vodka we all know and love, simply elevated.”

Reviews vacillate from average to very good. Desmond Begg in the 'The Vodka Companion' had this to say about it: 'Strong whiff of toffee on the nose. Sweet and cloying on the palate with strong caramelization. Some alcohol burn. Powerful finish in which toffee flavor predominates. This is an indifferently distilled vodka.'

Wine Enthusiast wrote: 'A one-note vodka nose featuring a bittersweet to semisweet grainy aroma. The palate entry is intensely kernel-like and beany and, therefore, bittersweet; at midpalate the flavor profile stays the bean/kernel course but adds a trace of tar or creosote. Finishes hot and raw' 80-84 points.

Meanwhile, tastings.com were impressed, writing: 'Clear. Faint marshmallow and stone nose. A round entry leads to a very smooth, oily medium-bodied palate with tasty confectioner's sugar and talc notes. Finishes very cleanly with a light peppery fade and a hint lemon peel and salt. Very stylish and perfect for martinis'. 40% Alc./Vol.
Gold Medal 92 points (Exceptional)

5 stars - diffordsguide.com