Riga Black Vodka

Riga Black Vodka comes from Latvijas Balzams in Latvia, a long-established producer best known for its dark herbal balsam, here turning out a clean vodka under the Riga name. The distillery pairs traditional methods with modern equipment to hold a consistent, established flavour, and the detail it leans on is the water: artesian well water, drawn from deep confined aquifers under natural pressure, used in the bottling stage to bring purity and a fresh edge. That clean water source, working on a smooth distilled base, is what gives the vodka its soft, almost creamy feel despite a straightforward 40% strength.

The nose is pure and clear with a hint of fresh sweetness. The palate is soft and mild with a subtle fruitiness and that smooth, near-creamy texture, closing long and clean with a faint sweet note. Its mildness and clean profile make it a good base where the vodka should sit back, so pour it into a Bloody Mary: 50ml Riga Black built over ice with tomato juice, lemon, a few dashes of hot sauce and Worcestershire, and a celery stick, the soft spirit carrying the savoury mix without sharpening it.