One rye, one farm, one field, one harvest. Such is the motto behind Belvedere 10’s premium vodka and the exact reason why Ryan Chetiyawardana, a decorated and renowned cocktail bartender, was drawn to the spirit at first taste.
“I did not like vodka throughout most of my career, but it was Belvedere 10 that opened my eyes to the spirit’s full potential. Since then, it has given me a new avenue to tell stories of people, places, and cultures,” the bartender said.
Chetiyawardana would know a thing or two about people, places, and cultures. He has travelled the world to meet new people and to experiment with new ingredients. “Some ingredients are too perishable to export. And others taste better in their locales. That is why I love experimenting whenever I travel.”
Belvedere 10 is part of the ingredients list, albeit a pricy one. What does Chetiyawardana think about using it for his cocktails? “It is fine as long as we do not disrespect the spirit,” he says. In this context, disrespect means using it generically, like making a Cosmopolitan, for instance.
This is why we end up with one of Chetiyawardana’s originals, The Score, which, according to him, is a luxury martini. The ingredients are simple yet authentic, just like Belvedere’s heritage in Polish vodka: champagne, Canadian maple syrup, sea salt, and single-estate olive oil. None of these ingredients overpower the others, resulting in its very own character — sharp, complex, and rich, with a hint of umami.
However, take those tasting notes with a grain of salt (quite literally, in this case) because everybody’s palate differs. And as Chetiyawardana explains, he likes using a light touch to enhance the customer experience. “I do not dictate what the customer should or should not enjoy. Ultimately, my job is to make customers happy. Sometimes, that could be in the form of an intricate drink with a backstory. Other times, it could just be something to get them drunk.”
In that sense, bartending is a performance as much as a craft. If there is one thing Chetiyawardana likens it to, it is to music. “There are layers to music. You can have complicated bars or you can keep things simple. There are all types of emotions you can evoke. Like bartending, you can change many facets of the craft — the ingredients, glassware, even the coaster. It is all about what you wish to express.”
It is inspiring to see someone pay so much detail to his craft because a drink is just a drink to the average person. But to Chetiyawardana, this is where art and science intersect. The man himself says it best when describing the top people he has worked with: “I love learning from people who do their best. Watching anyone at the top of their game is magical. You should want to learn as much from the best janitor as you would want to learn from the best chef.”
Watching Chetiyawardana mix does evoke that feeling of excellence. Experiencing the Belvedere 10 does that as well. Sometimes, you drink a cocktail expecting a good time. Other times, you come away with valuable life lessons, like learning the value of excellence. Either way, it is a score.
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our December/January 2025 issue.