Riga Black Vodka Latvia 70 cl 40%

A griffin sits in the coat of arms of Riga, half lion and half eagle, and it has followed the brand onto the label. Behind it stands a distillery that has worked in the city since 1900 and still runs its vodka through both charcoal and silver before it reaches the bottle.

Expert description

Riga Black Vodka is a Latvian Vodka from Latvijas Balzams in Riga, distilled from wheat and rye and bottled at 40%.

Latvijas Balzams dates back to 1900 and today belongs to Amber Beverage Group. The house is best known for Riga Black Balsam, but the vodka is made at the same address, and the two products share both a name and the griffin on the label.

The spirit comes from selected wheat and rye, run up to five times through copper stills. Artesian spring water is then added, meaning water from a sealed aquifer that pushes itself up under its own pressure. The filtration is the pride of the house: seven stages, with both activated black charcoal and silver ions in play.

The rye is the reason it does not simply turn soft. The wheat lays down a round, creamy texture while the rye sends spice into the finish. Aniseed and pepper hold on after the sweetness lets go, and that combination is what makes the bottle useful for more than disappearing into juice.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and cool with a light dark rye bread note. A trace of aniseed sits in the background.

Palate

Creamy and soft on the attack, after which the rye spice takes over. Aniseed, white pepper and a dry grain note share the middle between them.

Finish

Medium and spiced. The pepper hangs on and delivers a warmth more obvious than on most pure wheat vodkas.

Specifications

Name: Riga Black Vodka
Producer: Latvijas Balzams
Region/Country: Riga, Latvia
Type: Latvian Vodka
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Copper stills, seven stage filtration with black charcoal and silver
EAN no.: 4750021201349
Serving suggestion: Ice cold in a small glass, or in a Bloody Mary where the rye pepper meets the spices.

Flavour profile

Creamy · Spiced · Aniseed and pepper · Clean close

Did you know?

The same house makes Riga Black Balsam, a herbal bitter with 24 ingredients and a recipe traced back to 1752. Its black ceramic bottle is still the most recognisable in Latvia, and the rest of the Riga Black family is named after it.

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Frequently asked questions about Riga Black Vodka

What is a griffin doing on the label?

It comes from the heraldry of Riga. The griffin is a mythological creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, and it appears in the city's coat of arms. The house has used it as a mark for decades, on both the balsam and the vodka.

Why both wheat and rye?

The two grains do different jobs. Wheat delivers the soft, creamy texture on the attack, while rye is responsible for the spice on the finish. The combination is common across the Baltics and yields a vodka with more backbone than a pure wheat bottling.

What is artesian spring water?

Water from a sealed aquifer under pressure. Drill down to it and the water rises by itself with no pump involved. It usually carries a stable mineral content and has sat protected from the surface, which is why distilleries are keen on it.

Why so many filtration stages?

Because each stage does something different. Mechanical filtration removes particles, charcoal takes the heavier aroma compounds, silver ions work more selectively, and the final stages address charged particles in the liquid. Seven stages is unusually many and part of the house signature.

Which drinks work?

The ones that can use the spice. A Bloody Mary is the obvious call, because the pepper plays off tomato and horseradish, and a Moscow Mule works for the same reason. A Vodka Martini turns drier and more angular than you might expect.

Is it the same thing as Riga Black Balsam?

No, they are two entirely different products from one house. The balsam is a dark herbal bitter with a long ingredient list and obvious sweetness, while the vodka is clear and dry. They share a name, a griffin and an address, but not a flavour.

What characterises Latvian Vodka?

The blend of wheat and rye and a fondness for filtration. Stylistically the Baltic houses sit between Russian softness and Polish spice, and several of them work with both charcoal and silver. See the other Vodka brands if you want to compare.