Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka

Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) onto the UK market in April 2012. This is being marketed as a premium flavoured vodka that, by adding tomato juice, is perfect for making quick and easy Bloody Mary cocktails. I think they may have missed a trick and that this is much more versatile than that and, anyway, when I make a Bloody Mary, I want a dash of Fino Sherry, some Worcestershire sauce and a stick of celery in mine, so, for me, it is always going to be more complicated than adding some flavoured vodka to some tomato juice.

How is Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka made?

Many flavoured vodkas are flavoured with aroma-chemicals or other synthetic compounds. Not so Belvedere. It is made by the process of maceration. Belvedere Vodka is made in Poland by distilling Dan´kowskie Gold Rye four times before water drawn from artesian wells is added. The natural flavourings are then added to the vodka and left to macerate (i.e. soak) for up to a month. I am led to believe that the ingredients are macerated separately and then, after a gentle pressing and filtration,  the different components are blended together.

What are the flavourings in Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka?

The natural fruits, herbs and spices used in Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka are:

Black Pepper
Horseradish
Bell Pepper (sweet red pepper / capsicum)
Chili Pepper
Vinegar Distillate
Tomato
Lemon

Belvedere Bloody Mary Vodka Tasting Notes

Nose – The nose is very spicy with creamy notes. The dominant aromas are horseradish and black pepper but there is a really fruity red fruit (pepper and tomato) component too.

Palate – The palate starts sweet but then dries out, there are definite smoky, black pepper flavours with more red pepper and horseradish notes. There is a pleasing warmth from the chilli peppers. A fresh, yet complex vodka.

Finish – The finish is quite lengthy with a peppery kick which, as it goes on, leads to more fruity flavours and a hint of citrus.

I really like this vodka. I can imagine that it will be a great drink, served frozen, straight from the freezer. It would be great with fish dishes such as smoked salmon, oysters, caviar or fish roe with creme fraiche and blinis. It will add another dimension to your Bloody Mary cocktail but will also be brilliant in other cocktails, try it as a replacement for normal vodka in a Moscow Mule, for example, or in punches.