Cover Introducing the Belvedere 10, a single-estate vodka made from a single harvest of hand-selected organic Dankowskie diamond rye
Introducing the Belvedere 10, a single-estate vodka made from a single harvest of hand-selected organic Dankowskie diamond rye
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Belvedere 10 draws inspiration from the distillery’s vodka-making process used in 1910, and is made with a recipe that has been modernised to suit today’s discerning drinkers
The Belvedere 10 is a single-estate vodka that is about to shake up the luxury vodka space around the world. One, the latest expression is housed in a futuristic totem-like vessel which will likely turn heads in crowded parties. Two, it evinces the concept of terroir—a defining factor in wine and some small-batch spirits—which sees a single harvest of hand-selected organic Dankowskie diamond rye, grown on a single field in the Bartężek estate, in North West Poland’s Masurian Lake District.
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Above Belvedere 10 adheres to an uncompromising 10-step process harnessing a recipe inspired by 1910 and redefined for today
Belvedere 10 adheres to an uncompromising 10-step process harnessing a recipe inspired by 1910 and redefined for today
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While large vodka producers often adopt blending practices where they typically combine a mixed source of ingredients to achieve a much more consistent blend, the Belvedere 10 strays far away from that. Instead, the Polish brand adheres to an uncompromising 10-step process, harnessing a recipe inspired by 1910 (since the inception of the distillery) and redefined for today—if you may, a retrospection into how vodka was made by Belvedere when it was first established.
Straight after the harvest, the rye goes through four rounds of distillation via the copper columns at the Belvedere distillery in Żyrardów, to elevate the character, depth, and dimension of the rye. To retain the spirit’s clarity and brightness, every single drop is filtered through cellulose (an agent of filtration) and then rested in stainless steel—instead of casks— for 10 months to develop its texture and smoothness. “This is because stainless steel is a neutral vessel that doesn’t interfere with the organic processes which allows it to breathe and become more full-flavoured and full-bodied,” shares Mike Foster, global trade engagement and customer experience manager of Belvedere Vodka.
“Through months of rigorous testing and sampling, we discovered something unusual about our liquid. Month by month, the flavours became more complex, the aromas more intense and the texture became smoother and silkier. As we continued experimenting and refining the recipe, we discovered that the optimal resting time for our liquid was ten months,” adds Foster.
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Above Belvedere 10 and its stunning bottle are simplistic in their purity, yet architecturally magnificent
Belvedere 10 and its stunning bottle are simplistic in their purity, yet architecturally magnificent
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The result is unlike what most vodka purists are used to. It sports the archetypal clear spirit, but quickly amuses with an atypical but subtle nose of coconuts, cacao and vanilla with a touch of fresh lemon. The occasional cameo of fine white pepper surfaces, reminding of the rye base. On the palate, it drinks creamier and is very generous, brandishing sweetness reminiscent of honey, caramel and green coffee. The finish is long and elegant, lingering with nutty praline and dark cacao. Have it your way but it is a swig that is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks, always slightly chilled—preferably with caviar bumps on standby.
The bottle is worthy of extra mention thanks to its architectural brilliance. Francois Xavier Desplancke, president and chief executive officer of Belvedere Vodka expounds: “With Belvedere 10, taste, vision, and mastery converge in a flawless performance. Capturing the unedited, uncompromising mood of modern culture, Belvedere 10 and its stunning bottle are simplistic in their purity, yet architecturally magnificent. From field to bottle, the rare organic Diamond Rye shines through every single step behind the creation of this opulent liquid.”
Think 10 levels of design in reverence to the birth year of Belvedere and its ubiquitous 10-step process in making this fine expression; laser-cut diamond shapes hugging the facade of the bottle, evoking harvests of the diamond rye; an engraved polished gold crown at the neck of the bottle that reveals itself upon each serve; and the pearlescent white finish that symbolises purity. The Belvedere 10 will be available in top international dance clubs, hotels, and bars in Singapore.
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Images: Belvedere
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