A great Vodka is traditionally sipped neat. As with other liquors like whiskey or rum, drinking vodka neat is the best way to taste its delicate flavors. Polish and Russian people have both enjoyed their vodka neat for centuries.
In today's bar culture, Polish vodka brands are underrepresented. Most people only know about the Russian connection to the see-through grain or potato spirit. Yet, Poland has some splendid vodkas on offer.
Carefully crafted and distilled to perfection, this overview contains some of the best bottles you can find. So, check out our list below of the best Polish Vodkas brands you should try in 2024.
The Best Polish Vodkas Brands to Try in 2024Â
1. Belvedere
- Base ingredient: Rye
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $30
- More info
Belvedere Vodka is a product of one of Poland's oldest Vodka distilleries, Polmos Zyrardów. This distillery is located right in the center of Poland and has been producing high-quality vodka since 1910.
The brand is named after the historic Presidential Palace in Warsaw and translates to nice to see or beautiful to see.
Belvedere is a luxury brand that is quadruple-distilled before bottling. It's a perfect rye Vodka that took the United States by storm when it was introduced in 1996. It works excellent in vodka drinks like a Vodka Martini or a classic vodka & soda. Today, Belvedere is one of the most popular Polish vodka brands in the world.
2. Chopin
- Base ingredient: Rye, wheat, or potato
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $23 - $30 (depending on base ingredient)
- More info
Apart from Belvedere, Chopin is the other substantial producer of premium Vodka in Poland. Chopin is one of Poland's most influential vodka brands and one of the few still under Polish ownership.
Chopin produces three different Vodkas, each made from a single ingredient. They sell rye vodka, wheat vodka, and also potato vodka.
Their rye has an unusual creamy consistency with delicate apple notes. Their wheat vodka has a more floral flavor profile with hints of nuts and grains, and Chopin potato vodka is almost as creamy as the rye option with notes of vanilla and green apple.
Each of these products is amongst the best you can get. Chopin is a bit pricey, but it's well worth the money if you're looking for the best Polish vodka.
3. Luksusowa
- Base ingredient: Potato
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $13
- More info
Luksusowa is another luxury Vodka brand. The Polish vodka brand boldly states that it contains the manliest of all vegetables: potatoes.
Luksusowa Vodka is on the market since the late 1920s, made from 100% of the finest Polish potatoes (I can not vouch for the manliness, though), which are mashed, fermented, and then distilled.
The distiller produces a spirit with an alcohol content of about 90% ABV before being diluted with pure water to achieve the standard bottling strength of 40% ABV.
4. Wyborowa Klasyczna
- Base ingredient: Rye
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $14
- More info
Internationally, vodka Wyborowa is one of the lesser-known Polish vodka brands. However, within the country, it may well be the most popular of them all.
In Poland, Wyborowa is a popular vodka to serve at weddings. It's a flavorful rye spirit with a bold and rich taste. Not the perfect choice if you're looking for a milder product to go in vodka cocktails, though.
5. Pan Tadeusz Vodka
- Base ingredient: Rye
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $13
- More info
Pan Tadeusz is another full-bodied rye Vodka with bright and rich aromas and flavors. It has a distinct rye taste that won't fade in mixed drinks and cocktails.
However, incorporated in a classic Dry Martini, the brighter notes fade. Instead, you can taste strong grainy notes along with subtle notes of fruits.
6. Żubrówka Bison Grass Vodka
- Base ingredient: Rye
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $26
- More info
Searching for the best vodka from Poland? This one is worth a try, Zubrowka is a rye-based flavored Vodka from Poland. There's hardly another Vodka that tastes like Żubrówka, which is infused with bison grass. This unique fact also lends the spirits its famous nickname - Bison Grass Vodka.
It's one of the best Polish vodkas in cocktails as it brings an unmatched grassy note to Vodka drinks. But also consumed neat, Żubrówka is a favorite of many avid vodka drinkers. The taste is best described as grassy and floral with hints of freshly mowed hay.
7. Sobieski Vodka
- Base ingredient: Rye
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $12
- More info
This vodka brand is named after John III Sobieski, the King, and ruler over the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1674 to 1696.
It's another high-class rye Vodka produced solely from Polish Rye and crystal clear water. Besides the classic and unflavored rye spirit, Sobieski also offers flavored Vodkas like Cytron, Orange, and Raspberry.
8. Soplica
- Base ingredient: Rye
- ABV: 30%
- Price: $12 - $18 (depending on flavor)
- More info
Soplica vodka is a beloved and iconic Polish spirit with a rich history, dating back to the 19th century. Distilled with utmost care and tradition, Soplica is renowned for its smooth and distinct taste.
Made from high-quality rye grain, it undergoes a meticulous distillation process ensuring its exceptional purity and quality. The brand offers a wide range of flavored vodkas, each infused with natural ingredients like hazelnuts, lemon, plum, quince, cherry, and more, providing an array of delightful choices for enthusiasts.
Soplica is an excellent choice to sip neat or when mixed with other ingredients like soda or cranberry, pineapple, or apple juice.
9. Krupnik
- Base ingredient: Potato
- ABV: 38%
- Price: $18
- More info
Krupnik is well known for its excellent vodkas but even more for its sweet Vodka-based liqueurs. The flavors range from hazelnut to lemon to honey. But especially the sweet honey-flavored liqueur is a favorite of many in Poland.
The sweet and rich liqueur is made from classic vodka, honey, and various plants that add a herbal touch.
In total, over 50 different herbs are used to flavor the liqueur. It's a delight when served chilled, but the recommended way to taste the herbal honey flavors is by imbibing it warm.
10. Palace Vodka
- Base ingredient: Potato
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $15
Palace Vodka is an affordable Polish Potato Vodka of excellent quality. The term "Palace" refers to Branicki Palace in Bialystok, also known as the Polish Versailles.
The vodka has a thick consistency and a rich mouthfeel, combined with a mild, almost neutral taste. It's a beautiful vodka best for mixing cocktails but also makes for a smooth sipper.
11. Ostoya Vodka
- Base ingredient: Wheat
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $30
- More info
Ostoya Vodka is a wheat-based vodka bottled at 40% ABV. It's a young and upcoming product owned by Wyborowa and released in 2015.
Outside the country, it can be tricky to get to this point. There are only a few online shops that offer it. That likely is related to the relatively young age of the brand and will change in the future.
The bottle design reminds me of premium offerings like Belvedere or Grey Goose. And despite its low price point, Ostoya can compete with them in terms of taste.
12. Toruńska Ziemniaczana Vodka
- Base ingredient: Potato
- ABV: 40%
- Price: $10 (In Poland)
- More info
Torunska Vodka Ziemniaczana is distilled from Polish potatoes of the Gala variety. The vodka is smooth and velvety with hints of fruits and a sweet, earthy undertone.
The spirit is produced in a traditional distillery founded in 1884. These days, the Torunskie Wodki Gatunkowe is one of the few independent Polish Vodka distilleries and one of the most popular vodkas among Poles.
History of Polish Vodka
For most of us, the answer to the origin of vodka seems clear. The transparent spirit is tied closely to Russia.
This close relation also is reflected in some Vodka cocktails named after their alleged mother country, like the Black Russian, White Russian, or the Russian Spring Punch.
However, it's not that straightforward. Most likely, Poland is the true origin of vodka.
The first time vodka appeared in written form was back in 1405. In Russia, the first written records are from about a hundred years later. Although, that alone does not qualify as proof, as you can imagine.
Thus, even today, Russians and Poles are arguing about who invented the popular spirit. And chances are this question will never be definitively answered.
So let's focus on the products and check out some delicious Polish Vodkas.
More About Polish Vodka Brands
The term Polish Vodka is a quality indicator. A spirit is only allowed to be labeled Polish Vodka if: One, it was distilled in Poland and, two, all its ingredients, whether its grains or potatoes, were grown in Poland.
Today, many Polish brands are owned by international companies. But that does not affect the designation of the spirit.
As long as all ingredients are Polish-grown and the Vodka is distilled within the country's borders, it remains Polish Vodka.
This type of vodka typically is classified into two subcategories: Polish Grain Vodkas and Potato Vodkas.
Polish Grain Vodka
Mostly, Polish Grain Vodkas are made from rye, wheat, oats, triticale, or barley. However, rye and wheat-based products are perceived as superior in taste and aroma.
Rye Vodka has an intense aroma and complex taste with nutty notes and a long finish. Polish wheat vodkas, on the other hand, are much smoother and tend to have no harsh bite.
The most internationally renowned grain Vodka brands are Chopin and Belvedere. Belvedere is made from rye, while Chopin offers rye and wheat options.
Polish Potato Vodka
Polish Potato Vodka has a mild and almost neutral taste. It's a perfect ingredient in cocktails and other mixed drinks.
It also tends to have a richer mouthfeel than grain Vodka and is gluten-free. That makes potato-based vodka especially attractive for bars.
The bestselling Polish Potato Vodkas come from Chopin and Luksusowa. The latter is one of Poland's oldest vodka brands and is owned by Pernod Ricard.