Do You Know Polish Vodkas?

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I have never been a serious vodka drinker, other than a few drunken episodes in college, or later in adulthood, drowning my sorrows on Stanyan Street. But it is such a versatile spirit, since its taste can be hidden by almost any beverage. And I have not fallen for the many craft and boutique vodkas running across the liquor landscape. But I am somewhat curious about vodka in one of the real "homes" of vodka, Poland.



Per D. Sierkow: "In Poland, vodka (from voda, water) has been produced since the eighth century although the first mention of the word stems from 1405 in the minutes of the Court Registry of Sandomierz. In 1534 there was the first treatise on the distilling of vodka by Stefan Falimirz who writes on the distilling of vodka which, as he asserts, was useful to increase fertility and awaken lust." Interesting!




He adds: "In 1782 the first modern industrial distillery opened in Lviv, now in the Ukraine, but at the time part of Poland, while in the 19th century two major events revolutionized vodka making. Firstly, potatoes arrived from the New World and, while the yield of their fermentation was poor, there was a lot more of them than rye, so vodka from potatoes became the new craze. Secondly, Irish inventor Aeneas Coffey patented the single column still (the precursor of a modern distillation column) that would eventually allow spirits to reach purity of 95%!a(MISSING)lcohol. In fact today’s vodkas are diluted down from that level." "Sadly innovation was stifled because the history of Polish vodka is the history of a monopoly. In 1652 the nobility was granted the monopoly of its manufacture and sale; In 1925 it was turned into a Government Monopoly, easily sliding into the Communist vera concept of a state controlling companies – in the case Polmoz. It was only after the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe that Polmoz was privatised and the brands snapped by Western companies like Pernod-Ricard." Sounds similar to Prohibition here in the US.


Today Polish vodka is defined as one produced exclusively in Poland, from potatoes or traditional cereals: rye, wheat, barley, oats and triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye grown in Eastern Europe). Here are five of the major brands:


• Wyborowa (meaning excellent) is made of 100%!r(MISSING)ye from Poznań. Legend has it that, when the punters tasted the end product back in 1823, they leapt to their feet shouting ‘excellent, excellent’. It has been the face of Polish vodka abroad since, and the only one available in Britain during the Communist era. As for taste: think of moist rye bread and you’re halfway there. (I have had this one)
• Luksusowa (no prizes for the meaning) is made of 100%!p(MISSING)otatoes. I suppose potato vodkas were still luxury compared to rye ones in its launch year of 1928. Although originally produced in Warsaw, the factory is now in Zielona Góra. Today it is the best selling potato vodka in the world with a sweet flavor and an oily aftertaste. (Never heard of it)
• Potocki vodka is the luxury rye brand with a recipe dating from 1816 when Count Potocki inherited Łańcut Castle (currently a museum in sub-Carpathian Poland) and its nearby distillery. The result was the most expensive vodka distilled in the country, now in the hands of the count’s descendant Jan-Roman Potocki. The distillation is slow and there is no filtration like in other vodkas. As a result, this is possibly the most flavorful non-flavored vodka and its high price tag has ensured its status as the darling of 21st century’s jet set.
• Zubrowka is rye vodka dating from the seventeenth century and flavored with long grass from the Białowieża Forest in the borders with Belarus. This is the grass on which the last remnants of European bison feed on and the vodka is imbued with its subtle, musty aroma. A leaf is manually entered in every vodka bottle – playing the role of the agave worm in Mezcal containers – which, in theory, means that each unit sold has a slightly different flavor. Some spoilsports claim that what makes the taste special is bison urine on the grass, but the grass is well soaked during the flavor extraction.
• Żołądkowa Gorzka is an orange-brown, herbal vodka which plays the role of a digestive (or an aperitif) in Polish cuisine. It's a late addition (launched in 1956 and produced in Lublin) and it contains wormwood, gentian, pepper, cubeb, cinnamon and nutmeg among others. Fruity, sweet and spicy, it tastes quite like the flavored rums of the Caribbean.


So, now you are an expert in Polish vodka. This area is known as the vodka belt, which also includes the Nordics, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. I had several bad vodkas while I was in Russia in 2014. Vodka is served in straight up shots, which I do not care for. But on the plus side, it is paired with food and friends whenever possible! And fortunately for me, their are endless varieties of vodka.
Potato vodka is heavier and has a sharper taste, where rye (95%!o(MISSING)f Polish vodka is produced from rye) results in a lighter, smoother drinking experience. But within each brand, there’s very little differentiation. But in Poland, flavored vodka is a BIG deal. Polish infused liquors, or “nalewka,” rely exclusively on fresh fruit to create a pleasant, dessert-like aroma. Homemade versions are popular, and family traditions run deep—some going so far as to only disclose exact recipes as part of a final will and testament. The trick to drinking vodka, any drink really, is the drink s-l-o-w-l-y. Here, it is often paired with salty or salty/fatty snacks. But the best thing about Poland is that any time is vodka time. And once the bottle is opened, it must be consumed for it reaches room temperature. And it is consumed in ONE gulp, to the bottom!


Truth be known, I am not a big fan of vodka. Plus, I had more bad and cheap vodka when I was on the Trans Siberian Railway across Russia in 2014. My liver has returned to normal, but my mind says "no more vodka" comrade!!!



I may try the Debewa vodka, flavored with elderflower. Sobieski might be the best. No potato vodka for me.

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