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VODKA VARIETALS
Sip your way through select places pouring up Belvedere’s exclusive new spirits
BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
Good vodka tastes like almost nothing at all, or does it? This past summer, Belvedere Vodka hosted several mixologists, spirit experts and bartenders from across the globe – including a select few from the Valley – to show tastemakers that there can be a discernable difference and nuance of flavor in their highend vodkas based on region, minerality and soils. “Belvedere began working with one of its farms in Bartezek Lake in northeastern Poland and one in Smogóry Forest, which is in far western Poland, to harvest the exact same type of rye at the exact same time,” says Lindsey Casey, a local spirit specialist with Breakthru Beverage who took part in the summer field trip. “It’s a rare Diamond Dankowski rye usually reserved for their ultra-premium Unfiltered Belvedere. They would mix the harvested rye from each region with the same type of yeast and take it through the same process – yet the final product tasted starkly different to each of us.” The brand successfully showed that, like with grapes and wine, the terroir where the key ingredient of rye is grown is able to shine through the distillation process with its own flavor profile and unique characteristics. “Vodka-making in Poland dates back more than 600 years,” Casey says. “If anyone knows craftsmanship when it comes to this spirit, it’s them. And, starting this month, you don’t have to take my word for it, or theirs. You can try it for yourself.” How? Belvedere has chosen Arizona as well as Colorado and Washington, D.C. as launch sites for both single estate rye varietals of the vodka, each named in homage to the villages where the rye was harvested.
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So Scottsdale! November ‘17
Belvedere Lake Bartezek Overall: Delicate, floral and green, revealing the rye’s nuanced characteristics and perfect for elegant, crisp drinks served up. Nose: Bright and fragrant with notes of freshcut rye grain, grass and a hint of almond. Palate: Medium-bodied and delicate with notes of spearmint, fresh hay and a hint of biscuit. Finish: Clean and crisp with persistent notes of menthol, fresh grass and rye bread. Belvedere Smogóry Forest Overall: Bold and savory, bringing out the rich flavors of rye and perfect for robust cocktails with complex flavors. Nose: Intense aromas of sea air, toasted rye bread and caramel. Palate: Rich and mellow with initial impressions of salted caramel, cereal and a touch of honey. Mouth-feel is rich, well-rounded and luscious. Finish: Notes of baked bread, sea salt and caramel. Through the end of the year, both bottles are available for tastings and being used in craft cocktails at W Scottsdale, The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Merc Bar, The Henry, and Sushi Roku.