The options are endless when you’re looking for the best bottle of Polish Vodka.
You’ll find plenty of top shelf options, one more expensive than the next. But what you won’t find a guide to really help you break down and understand which brand of Polish Vodka you never knew you wanted.
This is that guide.
Polish Vodka might not be your first choice for an on-the-rocks sipper.
But on this list, you’ll find absolutely divine flavors, and you will learn to enjoy Polish Vodka like you never have before.
And of course, if you prefer a nice cocktail instead, our recommendations will work brilliantly with all your favorite mixes.
Below, you’ll find our list for the top brands in the world and a buyer’s guide to Polish Vodka, as well as answers to how it’s made and what types are there.
Finally, we’ll round off this article with tips on how to drink and really enjoy Polish Vodka, as well as the key tasting notes and vocabulary you’ll need to become a true aficionado.
Best Polish Vodka Brands to Taste
Here’s a list of the top 5 Polish Vodka brands you can buy. We have also detailed the other brands that offer Polish vodkas to try.
Rank | Brand | Best for: |
1 | Luksusowa | Best Overall |
2 | Belvedere | Best High-End Option |
3 | Wyborowa | Best Value |
4 | Pravda | Best for Brand Prestige |
5 | Monopolowa | Most Easy to Drink |
This is an in-depth explanation of the top Polish vodka brands, including a list of 40 different brands and a brief description of their company, products, and popularity.
Wodka
Wodka is one of the most famous Polish spirit brands in the world. The last-estate grown rye vodka brand uses fine quality, locally grown Danowski rye. The brand sells its vodka to over 39 states in the US.
This vodka is made using rye grains milled, cooked, and fermented to produce high-quality drinks. The fermented spirit is distilled five times and filtered through a charcoal filter twice to remove the impurities and get clear vodka.
Luksusowa
Luksusowa is one of the oldest Polish potato vodkas in the world. It has over 80 years of history in producing premium potato vodka. The brand name refers to “luxury” in the Polish language. They use good-quality potatoes to make clear and flavorful vodka. Luksusowa was launched in 1928 in Poland.
The company uses an exceptional potato crop, strobrowa, cultivated only in the Baltic region. These potatoes are mashed, fermented, and triple distilled to make crystal clear potato vodka. Next, the spirit is passed through charcoal filters to remove impurities. Finally, the vodka is blended with artesian water. It has interesting aromas and vanilla, almonds, and black pepper flavors.
Sobieski
Sobieski is a royal Polish vodka brand named after the prominent Polish King, Jan III Sobieski. The company was introduced in 1846 and is currently owned by Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits.
It is 100% pure rye-based vodka that is distilled in the Sobieski distillery. It is available in over 60 flavors. The most common flavored vodkas introduced by the brand include raspberry, lemon, orange, and vanilla.
Chopin
Chopin is an ultra-luxury Polish vodka brand that became famous for its frosted bottle with a clear window design. In addition, they make the most awarded potato vodka in the world. This is a naturally gluten-free vodka that is distilled using superior quality potatoes grown in Krzesk village. It has also introduced super premium potato vodka made with young potatoes and matured in Polish oak barrels.
The brand makes fine-quality rye vodka using the best Polish rye. This vodka has subtle aromas and flavors of rye bread and pepper. It also distills wheat vodka, which has sweet flavors of honey and caramel.
Belvedere
Belvedere is one of the iconic Polish Vodka brands in the world. Its distillery is in the town of Zyrardow, where the brand produces premium Polish rye vodkas. The company is currently owned by the legendary Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH) group.
Belvedere Vodka is named after the presidential palace in Warsaw, Belweder. It was launched in 1993. The brand launched its rye vodka as the world’s number one premium vodka in the United States in 1996. This vodka is produced using several varieties of rye harvested in the Danowski region.
The company also produces plenty of flavored vodkas through a special process known as maceration. It’s a pure spirit macerated with fruits to create a blend of artificial handcrafted, Polish flavored vodkas. The lineup includes lemon tea, bloody Mary, grapefruit, raspberry, orange, citrus, and mango.
Wyborowa
This is a well-recognized classic Polish vodka brand that produces high-quality spirits using century-old Polish distillation processes, recipes, and traditions. The vodka brand was launched in 1927, which has gained a lot of attention from alcohol lovers all over the world for its velvety texture and clean taste.
Wyborowa is the third fastest-selling Polish vodka in the world. Their lineup includes original vodka, potato vodka, wheat vodka, and single estate exquisite vodka. It has been awarded over 40 international awards, and the drinks grace the occasions of Oscars and MTV Gala.
Zubrowka
The iconic evergreen bottle of Zubrowka bison grass flavored vodka is one of the iconic Polish vodka drinks ever made in history. A bison grass blade is found in each bottle of this brand. It was introduced first in the 16th century and has been ranked as the fourth best-selling vodka brand in the world.
The company manufactures its vodkas in the Polmos Bialystok distillery. The brand name refers to European bison, where it uses specific grass to make its drinks. However, from 2011, the brand has replaced bison grass with rye-based drinks because bison grass contains some chemicals which the FDA does not directly approve for human consumption. This flavored vodka has a hint of anise and herbal aftertaste.
Krupnik
Krupnik is one of the premium vodka brands made in Poland. Vodka is flavored with clover honey, and 50 different herbs using traditional recipes passed down by generations.
This was first introduced in 2010. It is produced by the Belvedere company and is the 8th most popular vodka brand in the world.
Flame
The bright red color vodka bottle belongs to the famous Polish brand, flame. This brand makes a classical version of Polish vodka.
They use Polish wheat grains to distill pure vodka spirit blended with artesian water. The pure spirit is distilled 5 times and filtered through active charcoal to create a clean and smooth vodka.
Gruven
Gruven is a handcrafted small-batch of Polish vodka which is created using an old recipe following the traditional Polish style. The company uses wheat and rice grains to distill pure good quality vodka and blend it with pure artesian water.
It follows a quadruple distillation process to enhance the smoothness and a multi-step filtration process to remove the impurities and create a crystal-clear vodka.
Gvori
Gvori is an ultra-premium Polish Vodka that is made using a centuries-old vodka recipe. The vodka is made using rye grains and pure Polish water. The brand name refers to “speak to me” in Polish, which creates an opportunity for alcohol lovers to start a conversation in a social situation.
The brand has been making pure vodka for over 1000 years by following a four-step distillation process to distill the perfect premium Polish rye vodka for its consumers.
Kavka
Kavka is a good premium Polish vodka made using production methods of the 18th and 19th centuries to impart an authentic taste and texture to the drinks. They have been producing vodkas for over 200 years from their small distillery in Poland.
The founder of the brand, Jan Woroniecki, works closely with the master distiller, Urszula Wojcik, to create a bold and distinctively flavored vodka. This drink is only distilled and bottled in Poland.
Victory
Victory is a carefully crafted potato vodka from three different varieties of potatoes which gives a dense and creamy texture to the drink.
It has tasting notes of meringue, white pepper, and potato bread. This has an oily mouthfeel with a warm finish.
Carpathia
Carpathia is a vintage Polish vodka brand that produces good quality vodkas from Bielsko-Biala distillery in the south of Poland. It is one of the high-quality rye vodkas made in the country. This luxury car brand makes Polish vodka similar to the process of whisky, which makes it a unique brand in the country.
Rye grains are milled, fermented, and distilled where the distilled spirit is matured in oak barrels for several years, giving this drink exclusive characteristics. Each bottle is carefully packed and individually numbered. In addition, the brand has produced limited edition bottles for the years 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.
Copernicus
Copernicus is a unique brand that produces herbal and honey-based vodkas in Poland. It is made in the famous Polmos Distillery in the country.
This is a high-end vodka that is made using good quality Polish grains and pure spring water from the Masury lake in Poland. The exclusive editions of these vodka bottles are adorned with Swarovski crystals.
Krakus
Krakus is an exclusive premium Polish vodka that is made using superior quality Polish grains and crystal-clear spring waters. This vodka is distilled and bottled in Polmos Wytwornia Wodek, Warsaw, Poland. The brand makes this with the passion and expertise of Master distillers, which helps them create a top-quality neutral spirit.
This vodka has a balanced flavor palate with intense citrus and minerals notes that give the drink a lingering finish. The name Krakus means cracking in the Polish language and has been produced by Akwawit Poland since 1962.
Debowa
Debowa refers to oak in Poland. It is a nonvintage and unaged oak vodka that is made using superior quality rye grains. This is made using the finest natural products, such as Black elderflower and oak wood, making it one of the unique aristocrats of the country.
This one-of-a-kind award-winning Polish green spirit has a crystal clear appearance with firm notes of bread, oak, vanilla, and black pepper that gives a slightly nutty finish.
Biala Dama
Biala Dama is a delicate, unflavored vodka produced by the Polmos Lancut in Poland. The brand name means white lady, which refers to the spirit of the mother of Julia Potocka, who first introduced the distillery in 1994. This has over 200 years of history where the spirit is said to be haunting the town of Lancut for all these years.
This vodka is made using fine Polish grains such as rye, wheat, and barley sourced from the mountains of South Poland.
Soplica
Soplica is one of the oldest brands of Polish Vodka that makes both pure and flavored versions of their vodka. The brand was first started in 1891 in Polmos Lancut. The 1st bottle of Soplica is still placed in the Museum of the Origins of the Polish state in Gniezno.
This vodka is based on the traditional recipe created by Boleslaw Michal Kasprowicz’. The brand has been owned by the famous spirits brand, Polish Standard corporation, since 2013.
The spirit is manufactured in various flavors, such as Noble Pure Vodka, Old Polish Soplica, and Nalewka. Its flavored vodkas include raspberry, hazelnut, red cherry, quince, blackcurrant, plum, walnut, strawberry, blueberry, and Mirabelle.
Absolwent
Absolwent is a Polish luxury brand that produces high-end 4-fold rectified grain vodkas. It is the fifth best-selling vodkas in the world. The company was introduced in 1995 and is manufactured at the Polmos Bialystok.
The brand produces pure and unflavored vodka and several flavors such as cranberry, banana, apricot, and lemon.
Zoladkowa
Zoladkowa stands tall among the best Polish vodkas with a light golden color spirit infused with the magical blend of herbs, spices, and dried fruits. It is one of the favorite drinks of the Polish people. This company has been the world’s leading Polish vodka brand since 1950. It is manufactured in Polmos Lublin.
The brand name means bitter vodka for the stomach, which follows the traditional practice of introducing fruit and herbs known as nalewka in Polish culture. In addition, it introduced several flavors, such as peppermint, Polish honey, black cherry, and bison grass. Its czysta deluxe vodka is the ninth most popular vodka in the world.
Pan Tadeusz
Pan Tadeusz is one of the best wheat-based vodkas made in Poland. It is produced in two cities, Zielona Gora and Poznan. The company uses fine-quality Polish wheat to make clear and flavored vodka. Its flavors include caramel and chokecherries.
Lubelska
Lubelska is one of the famous vodka brands in Poland, which makes both pure and flavored ones. This brand was first established in 1906 and is currently manufactured at Polmos Lubin. The company now belongs to Stock Spirits Group, a UK-based Spirit brand.
This award-winning Polish brand makes two vodkas in exotic flavors such as cherry and lemon. The clear vodka is made using three types of grain which gives a smooth taste and balanced flavor profile.
Ultimat
Ultimat is a Polish Vodka brand owned by the Patron Spirits company. The brand makes good quality from a blend of three different sources, such as rye, wheat, and potato. In addition, the spirit is triple distilled to create a good quality smooth-tasting vodka.
U’Luvka
U’Luvka vodka is one of the premium vodkas produced from grains such as oats, barley, rye, and wheat grown in the Wielkopolska region of Poland.
The brand blends two spirits distilled separately to create one perfectly harmonized vodka with flavors of different grains. Their vodka has firm notes of spice and nuttiness, which gives the drink a sweet and spicy balance.
This brand tries to recreate the spirit of a legendary vodka that famous Alchemist Sendivigious first created in the late 16th century.
Snow Leopard
Snow leopard vodka is a premium Polish vodka created after the experience of a moment in the sight of snow leopards of the Himalayan mountains.
The vodka is distilled six times to create a creamy texture with an exceptional taste to the drink. In addition, it is the first luxury vodka made from rare spelt grain, giving this drink a nutty and fresh flavor.
The brand was created by entrepreneur and philanthropist Stephen sparrow. He made this product to save the snow leopard from extinction. In Poland, Snow Leopard Vodka is produced at one of the finest vodka distilleries, Polmos Lublin.
Potocki
Potocki is a luxury rye-based vodka that is made only in Poland. The brand drink Wodka refers to ‘little water. This spirit is made using good quality Polish rye, which gives it an entire body and distinct flavor to the vodka.
It is crafted in small batches using the family’s 200 years old traditional methods. The freshly harvested rye grains are double distilled and unfiltered to keep the nutty flavor in the drink. It gives a sweet finish to the tongue.
The two brothers, Alfred and Arthur Potocki, who settled in Poland in 1816, created the brand. They inherited the splendid Łańcut Castle along with an estate and the distillery where they started making their famed vodka spirits.
Ostoya
Ostoya vodka is one of the prestigious products of Wyborowa Pernod Ricard. It is a top premium vodka with an intensely creamy texture and mild taste that gives a long warm finish. It comes in a glass bottle encrypted with the essence of Polish nature with an image of mountains painted on the bottle.
This vodka is made using fine-quality Polish wheat grown in the Bieszczady region. The company took two years to develop this vodka, where the entire production process takes place domestically. This product is produced at the plant in Zielona Gora.
Orkisz
Orkisz is an exceptional Polish vodka that is made using spelt grain. This spelt is a type of wheat that was very popular in the middle-age but has been wholly ignored nowadays. This grain is used to make delicious vodka with an intricate production process.
The brand harvests the highest quality of Royal wheat cultivated on the Polish mountains. And produces the best spirit in small quantities by slow distillation. This ensures a mild and unique flavor of the drink.
Palace
Palace is a high-quality Polish potato vodka that is made using good-quality potatoes. This vodka has a mild taste and flavor, making it a sophisticated Polish product. It has soft notes of vanilla and earthy tones, giving the drink a light, pleasant finish.
This Vodka is named after the Branicki Palace of Bialystok. It is also commonly nicknamed the Polish Versailles palace.
Toruńska
Torunska is a premium vodka with an exceptional flavor and taste. This is created by a brand that has over 132 years of history in grafting spectacular spirits from excellent ingredients and a traditional distillation process.
The company was started in 1884 in a 19th-century building, and its distillery has now become a living museum. The historical, gothic buildings are depicted on the bottle of Torunska vodka.
The brand uses superior quality rye, wheat, and barley and clear water from a well 72 feet from the ground to distill clean vodka. The distilled spirit is passed through four stages of filtration to craft a high-quality pure premium vodka with fragrant aromas and a smooth texture.
Vesica
Vesica is a one-of-a-kind Polish potato vodka made using high-quality potatoes and a triple distillation process that creates an original gluten-free drink. The distilled spirit is passed through an active filtration process that helps it produce crystal-clear vodka with no impurities.
The brand makes crystal clear pure original potato vodka along with four different flavors like pineapple, coconut, green apple, and peach.
Cracovia
Cracovia is one of the oldest vodka brands produced in Poland since 1995. It is manufactured at the Polmos Krakow distillery. Krakow was once the capital of Poland.
The brand produces three types of vodkas, Cracovia Classic, Supreme, and Very Old. This vodka is distilled from rectified potato spirit and is diluted with water and filtered through carbon filters to create a clean and smooth drink. The classic vodka has a strong black pepper aftertaste, while the supreme vodka has 42% ABV. Very old vodka is aged in oak barrels for distinct flavor and taste profiles.
Monopolowa
Monopolowa is a popular potato vodka produced by the J.A.Baczewski distillery in Poland. The company was introduced in the year 1782, and now it is manufactured in Austria. The brand name means ‘Monopoly’ in the Polish language.
It has an exceptional taste because it is produced by following the traditional Polish recipe for crystal clear gluten-free vodka. It is made using superior quality potatoes grown in Poland and mountain waters from alpine springs. The spirit is triple distilled to ensure a crystal–clear appearance and free of impurities.
Polonaise
Named after the traditional Polish dance, Polonaise is a premium vodka brand that produces fine quality premium drinks using rectified spirit and water. It is manufactured at the Polmos Lancut in Poland.
This is a mix of three original spirits, grain, plum, and apple, distilled six times to create a smooth and clear vodka.
Siwucha
Siwucha is a one-of-a-kind vodka that is an unrectified spirit where the gray color of this vodka is referred to as ‘Siwucha.’
This is made using unrectified Barley spirit, which gives genuine taste and texture. It has a smooth texture and fruity flavor, which makes it a favorite of any vodka lover.
Polish Standard
Polish standard is one of the Heritage vodkas brands which makes fine quality vodkas using premium quality Polish rye. This is triple distilled to create a refined and high-quality product that meets the standards of vodka fans.
This brand sits in the luxury Polish vodka brands category because of its good quality distillation and filtration process.
Królewska
Krolewska vodka comes in an elegantly designed glass bottle that is distilled from superior quality Polish rye grains. The image of the Mariacki Church in Krakow is depicted in the bottle. This brand was launched in 1994 by the Polmos Distillery in Zielona Gora.
It has a delicate taste and a pure rye aroma. The finest quality rye grains are fermented, and the alcohol is distilled and passed through a multi-stage filtration process to get crystal-clear transparency.
Pravda
Pravda is one of the Royal vodka brands produced in Poland. This vodka is a handcrafted premium quality drink produced in small batches. It is made using the traditional distillation process of royal families of Poland. It is currently manufactured under the guidance of this 6th generation distiller.
The brand uses premium quality late harvest, sweet rye, and spring water in the Carpathian Mountains in the south of Poland. It uses a five-stage distillation process to craft a crystal quality spirit and uses a copper still to rectify the spirit again for a smooth texture and taste. This vodka has a creamy taste with vanilla notes and gives a medium body finish with mineral and white pepper aftertaste.
Bialy Bocian
Bialy Bocian high-quality Polish vodka is produced from good quality cereals. These cereals are only made from Polish crops grown in greater Poland.
This crystal-clear vodka has vibrant peppery aromas along with vanilla, meringue, and citrus notes. This gives a lingering creamy finish to the drink.
What is Polish Vodka?
A vodka is termed “Polish vodka” when the spirit is distilled from potatoes or grains grown in Poland. Even though foreign companies own some Polish vodka brands, the production process and ingredients remain Polish.
The Popularity of Polish Vodka
Most people in Poland believe they were the first to introduce vodka to the world. At the same time, some Polish have spoken about a pure spirit distilled from their culture, dating back to the 13th century.
This has been a never-ending debate between whether the Polish or the Russians were the official people who introduced this spirit for the first time. But the truth is, both Polish and Russians cherish their vodkas and have been ardent drinkers to date.
The famous vodka belt covers the regions of both Poland and Russia, but the vodka community considers that Polish vodka is some of the best in the world. In addition, Poland has been the home to some of the rarest, which are produced in small batches and made from season to season in rare flavors.
The country is famous for its grain-based and potato-based vodkas. Most brands distill Vodka using rye, barley, oats, wheat, and potatoes. It celebrates 13th January as Polish Vodka Day. They even built a Polish Vodka Museum in 2018.
The Etiquette of Drinking Vodka in Poland
When you are in Poland, drink like a pole. Even if you are not in Poland but trying to enjoy a glass of Polish vodka anywhere in the world, follow these rules, so you want the drink and respect the Polish culture.
- Don’t drink when you are hungry.
- Sip a glass of water while drinking
- Don’t mix vodka
- It is best to serve Polish vodka between 6-8 degrees Celsius.
- Polish vodkas are always drunk in one gulp.
- Pair your vodka with pickled vegetables or meat dishes.
The Best Ways to Drink Polish Vodka
The most popular ways to enjoy a Polish vodka are the following,
Neat
Drink a glass of Polish vodka straight without adding water or any mixers.
Shot
Gulp down Polish vodka straight from a shot glass.
On the Rocks
Enjoy a chilled glass of Polish vodka by adding a few ice cubes to the drink.
Chilled
It is best to serve Polish vodka at 6-8 degrees Celsius for savoring its flavors to the maximum.
Pair with Snacks
You can drink a shot of vodka along with a bite of sausage, pickled cucumber, bread, or marinated herring.
Szarlotka cocktail
This is the most beloved cocktail of Poland, where you can mix bison grass vodka with apple juice and a hint of cinnamon and pour it in a glass with ice cubes.
Polish Mule
Mix a glass of Polish vodka with Ginger beer, lime juice and serve it in a glass with ice cubes.
Polish Martini
Enjoy a glass of Polish Martini by mixing Polish vodka with Vermouth and straining it into an old-fashioned glass.
Polish Lemonade
You can make plenty of lemonades using Polish vodka, cranberry juice, lemon juice, grapefruit juice or orange juice, simple syrup, and ice.