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Luksusowa

Price

$26/750ML

Bought at

Bishops Cellar (Lower Water St., Halifax)

This Vodka is an all-potato Polish Vodka branded as premium, which tells us little, since this seems to have become a buzzword in today's spirits market. The only other potato Vodka I have ever had was Chopin, by Polomos Distillery, and that was some time ago; as this one was supposed to have a very good reputation and was rather more affordable than Chopin was, i had no choice but to give it a try. The smell from the bottle can be a little earthy, but it lessens in intensity once the liquid has been poured out, becoming simply fragrant; one can actually smell the potato, which is a good thing as far as I'm concerned. Once in the mouth, the first striking thing about this Vodka is its amazing texture and consistency--- silken smooth and so thick as to nearly feel creamy. The bite is mild, but present enough not to be entirely forgotten; there is a light sweetness, but it does not pose any problem as the slight bitterness in the aftertaste balances it out nicely. The aftertaste is where one may taste the potatoes, although this taste is not so powerful as to cause any discomfort as drinking goes on. This Vodka is sinfully easy to drink and its consistency and taste are such that it almost feels as though it were a meal in itself; and the nice, square bottle with stark labelling makes it attractive on the aesthetic side as well. In short, the quality and relative affordability of this Vodka make it perfect for an occasional treat. Sadly, we have read recently that this brand was bought up by the same consortium owning such fine brands as Absolut: let us pray that they don't try to improve this product in any way.

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Wodka Wyborowa

Price

approx. $29.50/1.14L

Bought at

Societe Des Alcools Du Quebec (Montreal)

This Vodka is my absolute favourite so far, and has been for almost two years now. The reason I have not reviewed it earlier is that it does not seem to be available in Nova Scotia, which is, in my opinion, a very sad thing indeed. Luckily, my mom flew to see me a few weeks ago, and, in answer to my pleas and prayers, brought me two 40 ouncers of this heavenly nectar. "Why is it so good, then?", you ask. Well, it isn't actually because it has a better taste than some other vodkas, but rather a better balance. A very tasty vodka, such as Polar Ice for example, can be all out with pungent flavours and aromas, be silken smooth, but lack the bite that gives spirits, and especially Vodka, one of its charms. On the other hand, some dry vodkas can be all bite and give very little taste. Wyborowa is the perfect compromise: it has the sweetness of a rye Vodka and the amazing texture those can have, but it gives the drinker the little bite, the fire on the tongue, which makes him smile and sigh with satisfaction. This Vodka is like looking at a beautiful, curvy girl, all the while knowing she has plenty of spunk to match her looks. The cap on the new bottle design can also actually double as a shot-glass for those special moments when a bottle of Vodka is all that's left you. I've heard this is the supermarket Vodka in Poland... When can I go?

UPDATE: You might be interested to know that Wyborowa now seems to be available in Nova Scotia: at least it is available at the liquor store on Joseph Howe. CHEERS! (2007-04-04)

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