Whilst searching for the perfect ingredients for our Espresso Martini Kit we came across this vodka with an intriguing name – Tovaritch!. We couldn’t believe how great it tasted, but then again, so it should…after all it is the world’s most awarded vodka.
Produced in Russia by Geneva-based Tovaritch Spirits International SA, Tovaritch! brings passion and vitality from vodka’s original homeland while also benefiting from Swiss dedication to perfection. And to top it off, its superior quality is matched by superb value.
Tovaritch means comrade in Russian, and so, true to its name, it is a wonderful companion for any vodka enthusiast and is welcoming to all.
This delicious vodka hails from St. Petersburg, and is based on a very old family recipe from the late 1700’s, created through study with the Imperial Court of Czarina Catherine II. While we don’t know the exact methodology, we do know this all natural vodka is made with 100% organic spring wheat and rye sourced in the Volga region of Russia known for its lavish harvests of high-grade grain. It is distilled five times, and filtered through birch charcoal and silver.
Its getting colder so get out that fur hat and get your hands on a bottle of this incredible Russian vodka and soak in the winter months!
Distillation and production
So it is distilled in the north of Russia just outside the well know St Petersburg.
Raw materials…
Made of spring wheat and rye sourced in the Volga region known for its lavish harvests of high-grade grain. In their quest to produce the best in class vodka, the Tovaritch team controls every part of the product from selecting seeds to bottling. Another key element of high-end vodka is water. Torvaritch uses water from an underground well, filtered through sand to remove iron and then softened through sodium-cation exchange filters.
Tasting notes..
The nose is pure and subtle with authentic notes of fresh lime and a delicate hint of eucalyptus and lemon flower. Tovaritch has a strong and pleasant aroma of grain, alcohol and sugars. There is a wonderful, creamy sweetness followed by hints of spice and nuts. The taste of grains comes out in the finish with a characteristic ‘bread’ flavour.
Consistence in Excellence
The Spirits Business wrote: “TOVARITCH! has been consistently awarded every single Spirits Business Vodka Masters from its very conception in 2007 (…).To highlight the truly outstanding nature of this brand(…) we decided to create a bespoke award to celebrate Tovaritch ́s success. We called this award `Consistence in Excellence ́ as these are the two qualities that we feel are so laudable, and which are inherent to the brand”. Tovaritch! has won 78 medals in blind tastings from prestigious international spirits competitions such as The Spirit Business Vodka Master (London), The Asian Spirit Business, International Wine & Spirit Competition (London), Drinks International – Spirits Challenge (London), Beverage Tasting Institute (Chicago), San Francisco World Spirit Competition (San Francisco).
Tovaritch! Cocktails
As a mixing vodka, Tovaritch provides an ideal base for various cocktails. Neutral cocktails which rely on the alcohol’s flavour such as vodka tonics or vodka Martinis benefit from the natural sweetness of Tovaritch, while fruit-based cocktails become more palatable due to the lack of the burn.
Here is one of Tovaritch!’s signature cocktails:
Vesper T!
This cocktail has its origin in fiction. It premiered in Casino Royale, the first James Bond novel.
3 oz Gin
1 oz Tovaritch!
1⁄2 oz Lillet Blanc
Put all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and add ice. Strain and pour into a chilled cocktails glass. Garnish with a lemon-peel spiral.
For more ingenious cocktails, visit their web-site www.tovaritch.com.
Big thanks to Amathus Drinks for introducing this to us, we are looking forward to featuring Tovaritch vodka in our November Subscriber Kit. If you’re not yet a subscriber you can join now and be the first to receive our new kits each month.
Image credit: Amathus