You could use Ultimat to put Polish polish on any number of classic
vodka cocktails, such as a Vodka Tonic or Sea Breeze, but this is
also one to savor straight up. Serve it ice cold with caviar or
smoked salmon for an exquisite indulgence.
WODKA VODKA ($18)
Wódka Wyborowa (pronounced vodka vi-brova) is old Polish for
"exquisite vodka," and this vodka has been made in Poznan, Poland,
since 1823. The Poznan Distillery is now owned by the important
Pernod Ricard group, which makes the two famous French anisette
aperitifs as well as controlling many other wine and spirits
brands.
The rye grain that goes into Wyborowa comes from farms in
northwestern
Poland. Only winter-crop rye is used, because of its
high starch content. The production process follows the "3 x 3
rule": triple cleaned, triple distilled, triple filtered. The taste
is pure and silky, with just a faint trace of sweetness. This was
reportedly Picasso's favorite vodka. Last year, it won a double
gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits
Competition.
Wódka Wyborowa is great straight up with salty foods such as
pickled
herring. Or try it in the Warsaw Wasp (my own Polish variation on
the Moscow Mule): Mix 2 oz. vodka with the juice of half a lemon
over ice; top off with ginger
ale and garnish with a maraschino
cherry. Drink while listening to a rousing polka.
BELVEDERE VODKA ($30)
Belvedere Vodka comes from the region of Masovia, in the heartland
of central Poland. Although vodka can be made from practically
anything that ferments, from potatoes to corn, like many other
Polish vodkas, this one is made from 100 percent rye. The taste is
smooth but powerful, with a lingering grain finish.
To complement its crystalline qualities, Belvedere comes in a
striking see-through bottle featuring an etched drawing of the
stately Belvedere Palace in Warsaw. Poland's equivalent of the
White House, the Belvedere was built in 1722 and formerly served as
the residence of the Polish presidents.