Beluga Noble Premium Russian Vodka 70 cl 40%

Four thousand kilometres east of Moscow lies a town on the Trans-Siberian railway where the winters are long and the water is drawn from far below the frost line. Spirits have been made there since 1900, and since 2002 some of it has been called Beluga.

Expert description

Beluga Noble is a Russian Vodka made from malt spirit at the Mariinsk Distillery in Siberia, bottled at 40%.

The base is malt spirit rather than the more common plain grain spirits, and that is part of the explanation for the rounder mouthfeel. The spirit is blended with artesian water from deep wells in the Siberian bedrock and then run through a tall column of birch charcoal, which catches the heaviest compounds.

Then comes the part the house hangs its name on. Small amounts of honey, oat extract and milk thistle extract are added, and the vodka is left to rest for 30 days before it goes into glass. The rest is not cask maturation but a stretch of time in which the components settle down and find one another.

The result is a vodka deliberately softer and sweeter than the classic dry Eastern European style. It is built to be drunk ice cold and neat alongside salty, rich food — caviar is the house recommendation, and it holds up.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pale honey and wet grain, with a touch of vanilla and something mineral underneath.

Palate

Round and almost oily. The malt gives mild sweetness, the oat lays down a creamy film, and only at the end does a dry, herbal edge arrive.

Finish

Soft and medium. The sweetness withdraws slowly and leaves a clean, faintly bitter herbal note.

Specifications

Name: Beluga Noble
Distillery: Mariinsk Distillery
Region/Country: Mariinsk, Siberia, Russia
Type: Russian Vodka
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Column distilled malt spirit, filtered through birch charcoal
EAN no.: 4603928000976
Serving suggestion: Ice cold in a frozen glass alongside caviar, or neat with smoked fish and pickled vegetables.

Flavour profile

Soft · Honeyed · Creamy · Clean

Did you know?

Beluga is the name of the beluga sturgeon, the largest freshwater fish in the world, which can live for more than a hundred years. It is also the fish the most sought-after caviar comes from — and therefore the fish stamped onto the label.

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Frequently asked questions about Beluga Noble

What makes Beluga Noble different from other vodkas?

The base and the rest. Malt spirit is used instead of ordinary grain spirit, and after filtration through birch charcoal small amounts of honey, oat extract and milk thistle go in. The vodka then stands still for 30 days before bottling, which gives a noticeably softer mouthfeel.

Why does it rest for 30 days?

So the components can settle. Freshly blended spirit, water and additions read as separate layers, and the resting period lets them knit together. It is not cask maturation, so the vodka takes on neither colour nor wood notes — it simply becomes more of a whole.

How is it best served?

Ice cold and neat in a small, frozen glass. Put the bottle in the freezer a few hours ahead and pour small measures at a time. The cold tightens the sweetness and brings out the herbal close, which can otherwise hide.

Does it really suit caviar?

Yes, and that is not just marketing. Caviar is salty and rich with a clear mineral edge, and a dry vodka would cut straight through it. Beluga Noble carries enough sweetness and creamy texture to meet the salt rather than fight it.

Where is the Mariinsk Distillery?

In the town of Mariinsk in the Kemerovo region of Siberia, far east of Moscow on the Trans-Siberian railway. The plant dates back to 1900, and the location was chosen for the water, drawn from artesian wells deep underground.

Can it be used in cocktails?

Yes, but it is not built for it. The sweetness and creamy texture do best in drinks carrying some fat or coffee, while a classic dry Martini turns rounder than many people want. See other bottles for the bar among our Vodka brands.

What is malt spirit, and why use it?

It is spirit distilled from malted grain rather than from unmalted grain or molasses. Malting converts starch into sugar using the enzymes of the grain itself and leaves more aroma in the distillate. In a vodka that gives a softer, grain-sweet character from the ground up.