It’s distilled five times in Penderyn’s trademark still. Penderyn, Five Vodka, has been a consistent winner in international competitions, and is one of the United Kingdom’s leading vodka brands. These were: Penderyn Distillery, Five Vodka, 43% ABV, 750 ml 58 Distillery, 58 Distillery Vodka William Grant & Sons, Reyka Vodka, 40% ABV, 750 ml and Kamo, Original, Premium Vodka, 40% ABV, 750 ml. The Super Premium category ($30 to $45) had four vodkas that won a Master award. It’s clean, crisp, but with a warming spiciness and subtle hints of fruit, along with vanilla and a bit of almond.

The vodka is wheat based, and silky smooth on the palate. The distillery was once among the largest in Russia. Its Artisanal Russian Vodka is produced at the JJ Whitley Vodka Distillery in the town of Kingisepp (previously named Yamburg), near St. Halewood Group is a UK based beverage company that operates 12 distilleries around the world. The top scoring vodka in the premium category ($15 to $30) was Halewood Artisanal Spirits JJ Whitley Artisanal Russian Vodka, 38% ABV, 750 ml. The name Syabry is the word for friend in the Belarusian language. The company describes its vodka as “sophisticated, clean, with hints of roasted grain and bread crusts” on the nose, “with expressive tones of fresh bread” on the palate. See if you want to look for an international mail order supplier. It has limited distribution outside of Belarus, and is not yet available in the US. It sells for around $7 for a 500-ml bottle, and is produced by Belvingroup in Belarus. Another surprising winner, among the cheapest available vodkas, was Syabry Rye Bread Vodka.

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