Vestal Polish Vodka 70cl

Product Information

So how to carve out a quality niche and overcome the bias of the bar industry and consumer? We’ll get to that in a moment.

Why we’re drinking this: We’re happy to defend vodka. And Vestal, which has been around for more than a decade but only just made its way to our shores this summer, has the unusual distinction of earning a perfect score for its vodka from the famed Difford’s Guide — apparently, the only vodka to ever do so — as well as a 99/100 score from the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) and multiple Double Gold awards last year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. WOW!!! This item should carry a HEALTH WARNING!!! Why??? It is so smooth and moreish after 2 sips. I could have drunk the whole bottle with utter ease. There are two ways to make potato vodka — real potato vodka, which is a dying breed, or the other, which utilizes potato chippings in a mash, or even a powdered starch that falls off the potato to make a type of potato ethanol,” says Borrell, who grew to love vodka after spending his teen and early adult summers in Poland with his father, a former Time war correspondent. Distilling only once to retain the essence of the source ingredients, they’re aiming for a complex spirit that offers a more natural approach to the style of vodka.So I mixed a Martini and had a chat with the founder of Vestal Vodka,William Borrell who lived in Poland for several years, and is based in the United Kingdom.

Only filtered once, this award-winning Polish potato vodka is, yes, full of flavor. And it’s $20.

So has Vestal Vodka found a way to introduce a vodka with both quality and distinction in an authentic way? I think so. Their commitment to the production style, it’s design and flavour profile as a spirit, along with a very personalised approach to carving out a niche and building relationships at the right end of the market means that this fine spirit will find it’s place for people who appreciate spirits ofboth finesse and complexity. Vestal has been selling by hand around the world for 9 years prior to a joint venture with Halewood international the UK largest and last family owned spirit company. The UK Government has since announced 370 new sanctions against Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. One measure being implemented is an additional 35% import tariff hike on vodka from the country. But in the case of Vestal Vodka they’ve taken an approach that’s akin to wine making. The source of their water and potatoes ( three are used varieties in this release: Innovator, Asterix and Russet Burbank) are integral and they even offer vintage vodkas from a particular year to emphasise the terroir of that release. This review bottle of their regular blended release.

Where it’s from: A Polish vodka founded by William Borrell, who’s also made a name for himself with two award-winning “five-star dive bars” in London We try where we can to be mindful of the environment , our bottle is made from 100% recycled glass , potatoes farmed on a sustainable crop rotation basis and any waste products recycled when possible.Vestal Polish Potato Vodka: There’s a real viscosity here, an oily mouthfeel and a surprising and lovely natural sweetness, some vanilla, a bit of mint and a hint of saline on the finish. Ideal for a martini with a twist. With the spirit ruling the category for years now, vodka has been left to struggle in its wake. Premium and ultra-premium vodka volume was down globally by 4.2% CAGR in the five years to 2020, according to data from IWSR. There has been a rise in craft vodkas being produced over the past few years, with small-batch producers taking the liquid to quality and flavour levels never seen before,” he says. Vodka can be made from either a grain spirit (such as rye or wheat) or potatoes, and some other sources such as corn or grape syrup. Each lends a particular quality to the spirit.

Vintage Unfiltered: You may do a double take here, as the nose is like the purest essence of a potato — very earthy, too. But you’ll get something closer to herbaceous mezcal on the palate, albeit one with a creamy mouthfeel and some hints of white pepper and nutmeg. Great chilled in a wine glass, but probably a wonderful base for a dirty martini with a stuffed blue cheese olive. Flavoured vodka is not exactly a new innovation, but to Borrell, a focus on origin is key. “The difference

All ingredients including spring water from our well are sourced when possible, potatoes have been grown on our farm or in various other fields that are no more than 30 km away. Gone are those wonderful coupe fishbowls that people used to drink gin in,” Borrell adds. “Simple serves and flavoured vodkas are really what we’re looking at.”

There is no denying gin’s dominance over the spirits category in recent years. According to IWSR, gin is forecast to increase by 4.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) globally. Premium-and-above brands drive a substantive share, with this segment projected to grow by 11.4% CAGR 2021-2025. Delve into the world of vodka to discover a vast array of styles and flavours. Those in search of a classic should try Belvedere, which stands at the pinnacle of the Polish distilling tradition, or Beluga – an exceptional Russian vodka. Something more experimental comes courtesy of Ciroc; the French vodka is made using snap-frost grapes rather than grain, potatoes or corn. Neat: Light on the palette with a crisp finish, but not austere, a hint of creaminess. Little spirit heat. Overall, very subtle.He also offers some good-natured sarcasm: “As for distillation — there’s a famous Swedish company that I won’t name. They say they offer infinite distillation. Can’t beat infinity! They’ve won the distillation competition.” What was the thinking behind just distilling the spirit once, so many other vodkas make a thing about multiple distillation? Vestal vodka was inspired by the ideas of terroir and vintage , we asked the question what would happen if you planted different potato varieties in different soils much like a wine producer would describe as terroir.