The origin of vodka is heavily debated between Poles and Russians as no one can for sure say when the knowledge of distilling spirits spread from France and northern Italy to Poland and Russia. Nevertheless, both countries make great vodkas. And during a trip to Poland, I found myself enjoying a few sips of vodka at Qube, Poland's first specialty Vodka bar.
Vodka was originally considered to be a medicinal drink, supposedly curing ailments and promoting longevity and youthfulness. My take on that would be that if you drank enough you didn't feel anything and therefore appeared to die healthy. But back to vodka. Polish vodka is typically distiller from rye, while Russia and Sweden distill from wheat and Finland from barley. The East and Scandinavian countries tend to have more flavor in their vodkas than those distilled "neutral" or flavorless.
Since we specialize in Flavors, I had the Wisniowka Cherry Cordial in an ice glass. One sip at a time was delicious. Not fruity, not sweet and very balanced. But I have to admit I prefer cocktails. And vodka's strength in the cocktail market is king. It is a completely versatile drink, with enough price points to make it affordable to all and a luxury to some. All of the mixers we manufacture and many of the syrups find themselves paired in alcoholic drinks, typically made with vodka. So, drink up but drink responsibly and be safe.
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