Belaya Rus Vodka hails from Belarus, where it was introduced in 1993. It’s comprised of rye (75%) and wheat (25%), and is distilled six times. Before it’s blended with water — which happens to be drawn from 1000-foot deep wells — the water is filtered through Cremia, a black flint found in Belarus. This filtering process is supposed to purify the water without extracting the vodka of all its flavor.
On the nose, there’s some slightly astringent alcohol on the top, but it quickly dissipates. Up next: soft grains and some creamy sweetness. It’s pretty pleasant, overall. Drink up, and you’ll find even more pronounced sweetness, including vanilla, buttercream frosting and honeycomb. It’s silky smooth on the palate, with some dry minerals and peppery spice coming through toward the finish.
All in all, Belaya Rus offers significantly more flavor than many others in the category. This is especially impressive for a vodka that’s distilled six times, as that much distillation often robs the spirit of its natural flavors.
Add in Belaya Rus Vodka’s modest price tag — it’s available for under $15 — and we’re happy to give this one our recommendation.
Stats:
– 40% Alcohol by Volume
– $14.99
