I think with any fancy vodka, we're constantly asking the question of whether it's worth it or not, and we certainly aren't going to get away from that question here. I don't want to beat the discussion into the ground and lose sight of this particular bottle of Belvedere, but let's touch on a few things briefly.
Readers might note that when it comes to vodka in general, I'm fairly transparent in admitting it's not what I usually drink, but I think it's fun to commit to the nuance that comes with the category. About once a month, the mood strikes me when I want to put on my thinking cap and embrace an icy glass of vodka on its own terms. Those experiences have shown me that there are some real stinkers in the category, but I've also found some new favorites.
I'll put all of that a different way: If someone tells you that all vodka is exactly the same, they're full of shit. More specifically, I think it's a “hot take” from people (usually whiskey drinkers) who aren't willing to put in the work of really understanding the category, and then they give themselves a big pat on the back for their own ignorance. Usually, you'll find that viewpoint accompanied by one that's equally cynical and dismissive: people who buy up-market vodka bottles are really just saps that got duped by a marketing department, since it's all the same crap anyway.
“Belvedere’s Smogory Forest brand extension is fancy without being ostentatious, and a number of drinkers might learn they actually enjoy vodka after giving it a purchase.”
I appreciate a bottle like the Belvedere Smogory Forest because it shows that spending more than $20 on a bottle of vodka isn't simply making a blood offering to the god of luxury. It's not the only vodka with something to teach, especially if sipped side-by-side with something abysmal like Absolut or Skyy, but it's tasty and instructive nevertheless.
What you might notice with the Smogory Forest is the melange of sweet aromas and flavors. It doesn't smell like paint thinner. Instead, you can get your nose really far into the glass and tease out both vanilla and caramel. From there, the taste of the Smogory Forest is filled with a wonderful vanilla bean and dark chocolate combination, but there's a little bit of salt to keep things from becoming overly saccharine. Again, this is all subtle, but it's most certainly there for those who are paying attention (I.e., those who take the time to roll this around on the tongue rather than throwing back their shot like it's medicine).
I was surprised by the finish. Normally, even very good vodkas tend to dissipate without a lot of fanfare, but I was surprised by the degree to which I continued to taste the character of the spirit long after swallowing it. Despite the sweet arrival, it's a dry and almost grassy finish. There are some nutty, meaty flavors that linger, but also a good deal of mint that was uplifting rather than heavy. On the whole, quite pleasant!
Now, with all of that said, I'll lay my cards on the table. While I think the Smogory Forest is good stuff, I don't know whether that’s because of this “single estate” thing the vodka distillers are pushing. That is, the grains used in the production come from one location. I've so far had a single estate vodka I've liked (this), and another I didn't care for (the Absolut Elyx). It's possible my palate isn't nuanced enough to tell the difference, but to me embracing the idea of terroir in the most neutral of all spirits is a conceptual leap I'm not yet willing to make.
Still, the price is acceptable at about $35, regardless of how much one buys into the single estate mystique (or perhaps silliness). I like the regular-grade Belvedere pretty well, but I think for an extra $10, one gets some additional dimension and sophistication, and it certainly tasted just a little different from the standard Belvedere and impressed me in a way I didn't get from the “Belvedere Unfiltered” brand extension, which I didn’t think was worth the upgrade.
In any case, for Scotch or Mezcal drinkers, the idea of spending $35 to get a really good example of a particular spirit seems like a bargain. Yeah, this Belvedere expression is a little fancier, but it’s not ostentatious… and it might actually turn you into someone who appreciates vodka (assuming you weren’t one of those folks already). What’s not to like?
