The brand celebrates its natural credentials and clear point of difference – zero additives, simple ingredients, expertly crafted into vodka of taste and character
Belvedere, the world’s first super-premium vodka, recently revealed Made With Nature – a powerful new platform that firmly anchors the brand in nature, reminding consumers that Belvedere is made with only Polska rye and purified water, and masterfully crafted in a distillation process by fire into an extraordinary vodka of taste and character.
Made With Nature is set to launch with electrifying film content, a pioneering new product introduction, Heritage 176, and a series of commanding CSR commitments. Made With Nature makes a clear statement about Belvedere’s natural philosophy and key points of difference – simple ingredients, zero additives, mastery in crafting rye to impart distinct taste and a dedication to nourishing the earth from which its precious Polska rye comes.
The story of Polska rye
Belvedere is a story of Polska rye, water and fire. Polska rye is a superior grain with ancient roots, whose rich taste tells the story of Polish terroir. The water is purified to set a flawless stage. Fire serves as the force behind a unique distillation process, a mix of science and a fine skill to draw out rye’s exceptional taste and character.
Belvedere will tell this story via a series of visually emotive films. In each piece, sweeping images of Belvedere’s core ingredients – rye, water and fire – convey the idea that simplicity of nature in its elemental forms can result in a rich vodka that imparts an unsurpassed taste and character. The :30 hero video and three :15 second spots debuted globally on brand channels recently.
Belvedere’s philosophy is to be natural and simple. Period. It does not manipulate its ingredients or use additives nor add sugar. Through this key point of difference, Belvedere seeks to inspire people to drink better.
“Many people do not realise that what sets Belvedere apart from other super-premium vodka competitors is that we are regulated by a strict Polish appellation. In fact, Poland was the first country to appellate vodka the way France or Italy appellate wines. This dictates nothing can be added to our vodka,” said Rodney Williams, CEO, Belvedere Vodka.
He adds, “The second element is that Belvedere exclusively uses the ancient grain of rye, which imparts richer flavour naturally. This is key as more people are consciously considering how products are made, what they are putting in their bodies and what the brands are doing for the world. They are looking to discover new and different yet natural taste profiles. That’s what we are striving to deliver with Made With Nature.”
New product: Belvedere Heritage 176
The first written record of vodka is from 1405 and in Polish. Produced in one of the world’s longest operating Polish distilleries that has been making vodka since 1910, Belvedere’s Master Rye Distillers draw from a 600-year Polish vodka-making history to artfully craft Polska rye into dynamic vodkas of distinct taste and character.
With the new Belvedere Heritage 176, Belvedere’s Master Rye Distillers apply fire to malt the rye before distillation, which unlocks rich, bold taste. Belvedere Heritage 176 is quite simply a taste of vodka’s past.
Up until the 1890s, Polish vodka-makers relied on the old technique of malting rye. They used kiln-heating, a tradition which naturally revealed rich and distinctive flavours. Over time, as the vodka category expanded and technology evolved, these old traditions sadly faded out, and vodka became more associated with flavour neutrality. Belvedere has always challenged neutrality and believes that rye delivers both distinctive taste and character.
To demonstrate this further, the brand has returned to the malting rye technique to unlock rich depth, flavour and nuance that would otherwise remain hidden in the rye. Rich and full-bodied, with hints of honey, walnut and allspice, Belvedere Heritage 176 is best savoured over ice with a lemon twist.
Powerful CSR Mission: To nourish the Land we share
To deliver on this imperative, Belvedere recently released a set of goals. This includes key initiatives under three umbrellas: green energy, organic product, and sustainable packaging.
Belvedere is strongly committed to green energy. From 2012 to 2017, the brand cut CO2 emissions by 42% by shifting fuel sources. In 2018, Belvedere was the first spirits distillery to receive a grant from the European Commission to pilot an ambitious green energy initiative that will install a biomass capture facility on site by Q1 2021.
The biomass captured from production waste, notably natural byproduct and heat recovered from the distillation process, will further reduce CO2 emissions and produce enough energy to support both the distillery and neighbouring businesses – many of whom rely on burning coal for fuel. The distillery is set to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2022 and achieve 100% renewable energy by 2025.
Belvedere has made significant progress in organic products. In 2019, the brand was certified to produce organic products. All new product innovations will reflect this new standard beginning in 2021. The distillery has begun rigorously working on the transition to organic farming, with the goal of ceasing the use of pesticides within the next 10 years.
Sustainable packaging is a critical priority for Belvedere. The company has begun reducing plastic from its shippers and eliminating plastic straws from its events. It is actively auditing supply chain vendors to abide by a 100% green code of conduct, with the goal of reducing plastic by 50% by 2025.
Belvedere’s 110-year-old distillery has a long history in supporting the Polish community with sustainability initiatives. It co-founded the Foundation for Local Environmental Protection, and only sources its Polska Rye grains locally, working to nurture long-term relationships with just eight Polish agricultural sources. It also started the Raw Spirit Program, launched in partnership with the Technical University of Lodz to promote the sustainable growth of Polska Rye.
The Made With Nature platform – based on mastery, heritage, and respect for the land – is the embodiment of Belvedere’s appeal to consumers and recognition of the respect for the lands from which rye comes imbues the brand with a responsibility to nourish it as well.
Did You Know?
Malting is a centuries-old tradition. Until the 19th century, Polish vodka-makers relied on the age-old technique of malting: drying rye in fire kilns before distillation. This process naturally draws out the rich, nuanced taste that would otherwise remain hidden in the grain.
However, over time the vodka category expanded and technology evolved. Sadly, these old traditions faded out, and vodka became more associated with neutrality. Belvedere is proud to challenge this – it believes that rye delivers a vodka with both distinctive taste and character unlike more neutral ingredients, such as wheat or corn.
Belvedere’s Master Rye Distillers have revived the tradition of malting to create Belvedere Heritage 176. With a process that includes steeping, sprouting, and heating Polska rye in kilns up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit, they have unlocked the hidden depths of rye for a true taste of vodka’s past.
Known for its tenacious ability to withstand aggressive temperatures and challenging soil, our rye is sourced from just eight local agricultural partners for 100% traceability.
