Hailing from Warsaw, Poland the Belvedere vodka gets its name from the actual building that the Polish president calls his home. The name translates to, “beautiful to look at”, and the bottle itself is quite an attractive display. In fact, the bottle’s satiny finish portrays a window that allows the indulger to view a depiction of the Belvedere Palace painted on the back of the bottle. In addition, the liquid itself serves to magnify the image; it’s very clever. Clearly, if the spirit is good enough for the Polish president, it must be a tasty drink fit for a king.
The Belvedere possesses a pleasing sensation with its presence. Unlike most other vodkas, the Belvedere is created from 100% Polish rye and distilled 4 times; there are no potatoes found in this one folks. The first whiff gives a slight hint of rubbing alcohol, but subsequent whiffs produce a pleasing vanilla aroma in the nostrils. Best served on the rocks, the spirit has a creamy, smooth flavor with a hint of vanilla. The resulting burn is not harsh by any means, nor does it give you the open-mouthed, let me exhale this vile taste feeling that can be caused by more potent elixirs. Instead, the burn produces a warm, fuzzy feeling that lingers in the back of the throat and slowly travels down to the stomach, leaving you wanting for more. Now I see why our Eastern European brethren sip it during those cold winter nights.
Mixing the Belvedere with anything masks its true colors, as the spirit did not mix very well. Mixing it with Sprite© was a brave attempt, but the drink tasted like an extra sweet and bubbly version of the spirit. Mixing it with orange juice was a mediocre attempt to brighten it up; you’d be better off purchasing citrus-flavored vodka instead. As mentioned before, the only way to consume this baby is on the rocks or straight from the freezer. The following morning produced a minor headache, although it was bearable. I would not recommend shooting this one all night long because even though it is smooth going down, I guarantee you will regret it the next morning. Sure, you’re college buddies might mock you for being such a wuss by mixing it or sipping it, but let’s face it, all they care about is getting hammered as fast as they can, landing them a personal invitation to an audience with the porcelain god. Of course, if you have no problems with this, then bottom’s up! However, if you want to really savor the goodness of the Belvedere, then opt for the rocks option. You’ll enjoy it much better that way. When your friends are making fun of you for sipping it, just think of how much more fun it will be clowning them the next morning after they find out they slept with the ugly girl at the party and hurled on her while doing so.
In conclusion, the Belvedere is a better-than-average vodka in which to partake. The aroma is pleasant, and the taste is smooth and creamy with a moderate bite. My two complaints are the lack of a real flavor (more vanilla would have been great) and the high price. At $37 for a fifth (750mL), I expected a better performance than what I was presented. I guess the extra money went towards the extravagant design of the bottle. Cheers!
Sipability - 6.5
Mixability - 6.0
Drunkability - 6.5
Hangover-ability - 6.5
Bang for the Buck - 3.5
Overall – 6.5 
Add A Comment