Belvedere Ultra Premium Vodka 300 cl 40%

Behind a bar there are bottles you pour from and bottles you point at. Three litres of frosted glass with a palace printed down the side belongs to the second kind. It does not get put away when the evening ends.

Expert description

Belvedere Ultra Premium is a Polish Vodka made from Dankowskie rye, distilled four times and bottled at 40% in a 300 cl bottle.

At this size the bottle becomes furniture. The frosted surface catches light differently from clear glass, and the image of the Belweder Palace with its bare trees spreads across an area where the detail finally becomes properly legible. Put a light source behind it and the palace draws itself through the glass.

The vodka inside is the regular house expression. Dankowskie rye from Polish fields is run once at an agricultural distillery and then three times through column stills at Polmos Żyrardów, where it is blended with water from artesian wells on the grounds. There are no additives whatsoever, and as a Polish Vodka there may not be.

The rye character is the entire point behind a bar. Belvedere carries enough body to be felt through citrus, ginger and coffee alike, and because it has not been distilled down to plain neutrality, two drinks built on it do not simply resemble each other in different colours.

Tasting notes

Nose

Toasted bread and white pepper, with a touch of vanilla behind. The aroma is broad rather than sharp.

Palate

A soft start where the rye sits creamy in the middle, before a spiced warmth rises and stays put.

Finish

Long and dry. The pepper holds, and a nutty, almost floury impression turns up at the end.

Specifications

Name: Belvedere Ultra Premium
Distillery: Polmos Żyrardów
Region/Country: Żyrardów, Poland
Type: Polish Vodka
ABV: 40%
Size: 300 CL
Distillation method: Four times distilled
EAN no.: 5901041003164
Serving suggestion: Pour it slowly into an Espresso Martini, where the rye can hold its ground against the coffee.

Flavour profile

Spiced · Creamy · Toasted · Long

Did you know?

Belvedere sits within LVMH, the French luxury group that also owns Moët, Hennessy and Dom Pérignon. That is why a Polish rye vodka keeps company with champagne and cognac inside the same portfolio.

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Frequently asked questions about Belvedere Ultra Premium 300 cl

Is it the same vodka as in the smaller bottles?

Yes. The same Dankowskie rye, the same four distillations, the same water from Żyrardów and the same 40%. Only the volume and the dimensions of the glass differ.

Is a bottle this size worth going after?

If it is going to be on display, yes. Belvedere is built on Dankowskie rye, an old Polish grain chosen for flavour rather than yield, and the distillery in Żyrardów has worked with spirits since 1910. On top of that, three litres in a single piece of frosted glass is a rare sight — most brands stop at a litre and a half, and the format is only produced in limited quantities.

How many servings does 300 cl give?

At 4 cl per serving you are looking at roughly seventy-five glasses. Behind a home bar that stretches across many evenings, and in a professional bar it amounts to a couple of busy shifts.

How do you handle the bottle behind the bar?

Leave it standing and pour from a smaller decanter. A three litre bottle is awkward to lift repeatedly, so transfer a portion at a time and keep the decanter cold. If you are pouring directly, take hold of the shoulder with both hands.

Can the bottle be used for display afterwards?

Yes, and plenty of people do. The glass is thick and heavy, the frosted image does not fade, and with a light behind it the bottle works as a lamp. Rinse it with hot water and no soap, then leave it to dry upside down.

Which drinks work best with it?

The ones where the base has to be felt. Espresso Martini, Bloody Mary and a Vodka Gimlet all let the rye come through, while very sweet drinks cover it up. See more bottles for the bar among our Vodka brands.

Why only four distillations and not more?

Because more would remove the rye. Each distillation cleans the spirit and pulls character out of it at the same time, and Belvedere deliberately stops at the fourth pass to keep the bread and pepper notes. Vodkas run ten times are cleaner, but they also have less left to taste.