“Once upon a time, long before effective tax collection systems, big brands, global marketing and idiosyncratic bureaucrats in Brussels, Polish vodka was an artisanal product. It was made in small batches in villages and small towns across Poland. Vestal Vodka’s goal is to recapture this spirit of time and place and introduce you to the true spirit of Poland.”

I review a couple of their offerings below…

Vestal Kaszëbë 2013 – Unfiltered Virgin Potato Vodka – 40%

A creamy vodka from Poland made with potatoes. The potatoes are of the Vineta variety, which are grown in the Kaszebe region of Poland. Vestal vodka is made in a single distillation and it is really rather wonderful.

As per normal for vodka, it’s crystal clear like pure still spring water.

The nose is somewhat familiar to whisky geeks as ‘new make’. This new make smell is somewhat more earthy, potatoes with onion.

A thick mouthfeel where the potato and onion hints that you found on the nose continue on the palate.

A clean and briefly lingering finish.

I don’t know a great deal about vodka, but going by my whisky experience it’d seem this this is a really well crafted spirit with a good amount of flavour for what’s often considered a slightly flavourless product. I could imagine this works well neat with a cube or two of ice… And maybe mixed with some freshly squeezed juice of some sort, orange and mango comes to mind.

2011 Virgin Vodka – Aged with medium toasted French oak, bourbon barrels & cherry wood for 1 month

Light yellow to gold in colour.

A much more recognisable nose to a whisky drinker, still a slight farm, potato and onion note, but wonderful oak cask notes come through really well adding some age and sweetness.

The palate matches the nose fairly closely with the extra depth and complexity from the oak coming through fantastically, it’s an ageing process that’s added bucket loads of extra flavour and complexity.

Creamy wood really shines through on the finish which lasts quite a long time.

What a surprising drink, crafted really well and packed with exciting flavours that a whisky drinker like myself really appreciates – the cherry wood adding an extra layer that’s new to me (as it’s not aloud in the scotch whisky industry). This’d work well with a drop of ice I’m sure, but I’d not add a mixer for fear of killing the nice flavours.

Overall Thoughts: An interesting couple of craft vodkas that appear to be a little off the beaten track, at least it my experience anyway.

Thanks to Vestal for the samples.

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