So many places to eat and drink in Whistler. We could have spent all of our time and money doing so.
One nice aspect of visiting off-season is that most of the stores are having sales and the restaurants are offering reduced price three and five course menus.
One of the experiences that we had read about was the
Belvedere Ice Room at the the
Bearfoot Bistro. Their website describes it best:
"The Bearfoot Bistro's Belvedere Ice Room is Canada's first sub-zero
vodka tasting room and the coldest one worldwide. It is a sleek space
where guests can step up to the ice bar and sample a range of 50 vodkas
from around the world. No need to worry about freezing in the
cold-as-ice room since enthusiasts will be provided with warm Canada
Goose down parkas and winter hats so you can enjoy the arctic ambiance
in complete comfort (-14 degrees F)."
And they even take your picture.
You can see some of the fifty bottles in their individual compartments carved out of the ice behind us.
They claim you can fit 15 people in there, but I don't see how. The room is no bigger than our kitchen and the bar is right in the middle.
Once you tell them you want to do the tasting, once of the bartenders accompanies you into the room and does the pourings. Our guy was great and it was the two of us so we had his full attention.
Lydia had been a little skeptical of the whole idea, since "vodka doesn't have any taste". I thought the same thing. What we found out was that vodka by itself has greatly varying tastes and must be kept and served at below freezing temperatures.
The tasting consists of four samples each and varies based on the customer. Since we were most definitely novices, the bartender chose our samples accordingly.
First off was
Belevedere Vodka from Poland. Incredibly smooth.
Tasting Notes
NOSE — Faint hint of vanilla along with gentle characteristics of soft cream.
PALATE —
Full and round with medium body and a naturally smooth, rich and
velvety texture. Some light vanilla notes swaying between sweet and
savory, with a hint of white pepper and spice.
FINISH — Good length with notes of almond, clotted cream, and some faint Brazil nut characteristics.
After that, we tried Imperia Vodka, a Russian wheat vodka.
BELVEDERE - Premium Category - GOLD
BELVEDERE - Premium Category - SILVER
BELVEDERE - Eastern European Category - SIL
Not a lot of flavor, just a slight bitter-sweetness and a faint taste of almonds.
Probably the favorite, certainly for Lydia, was
Żubrówka, a Polish Bison Grass vodka.
"Smells nicely of sweet grass, paraffin, acetate and wheat crackers;
aeration bolsters the aromatic impressions of the first round and adds a
subtle spiciness (nutmeg?) that complements the grassy quality. Palate
entry teems with zesty, spicy, medicinal and grassy flavors; midpalate
flavors come off chocolaty and milky, with disparate background tastes
of egg cream and green pepper."
Or so says Wine Enthusiast.
The slight flavoring from the blade of bison grass that floats inside
works to accentuate the bready and full qualities of the spirit instead
of overpowering them. This is a wonderful sipping vodka.
--says Mike Barber.
And finally,
Luksusowa (Polish for Luxury), a Polish potato vodka.
According to Tastings.com:
Clear. Aromas of cream pie, nougat, and toast with a silky smooth,
dryish medium body and a delicate vanilla soufflé, sweet grass, and
peppery spice finish. A superbly balanced and lively vodka that will be
great in martinis.
After each tasting we looked something like this as we paused to consider the pour.
It was great fun and since it was off-season, we got it for half price.
Then we repaired to the dining room for a five-course tasting menu that was nothing short of superb!
