Drinks Cabinet: Belvedere Vodka

Vodka, the crystal clear, sharply smooth stalwart of the drinks cabinet, makes more cocktails than any other spirit. It makes sense, then, to invest in a quality bottle to keep your options open.

There are vodkas that go down smoother than Belvedere – look to Russia for these elixirs – but Belvedere strikes the balance perfectly between a spirit enjoyed neat and a spirit you won’t wince over wasting as the base of myriad cocktails.

Production began a little over two decades ago and, just two years ago, the tipple became the choice vodka of James Bond himself in 2015’s Spectre. Nose a faint hint of vanilla, along with some gentle, soft cream characteristics – and finish up with good length notes of almond, clotted cream and some faint almond and Brazil nut characteristics.

Overall, this is the rarest of things – a staple of your drinks cabinet but a treat all the same. Full, round and with a rich, velvety texture, you’ll sway between sweet vanilla and savoury white pepper regardless of how you enjoy it.