Zubrowka Premium Polish Vodka 70 cl 37,5%

Out in the Białowieża forest on the border between Poland and Belarus, the last wild bison in Europe graze in woodland that has never been felled. Beneath them grows a sweetly scented grass that Poles have been steeping in spirit for centuries. One blade of it sits in every single bottle.

Expert description

Zubrowka Bison Grass is a Polish Vodka made from rye, flavoured with a tincture of bison grass and bottled at 37.5%.

The grass is called Hierochloe odorata and smells of freshly cut hay, vanilla and a hint of almond. That aroma comes from coumarin, the same compound that makes tonka beans and woodruff recognisable, and it is why Zubrowka tastes of something no other vodka tastes of. The faint green colour comes from the grass alone.

The method is simple and old. The rye vodka has a tincture of dried bison grass added, harvested in and around the Białowieża forest, and finally a single blade is dropped into each bottle. The blade is not merely decoration. It signals that this is the original recipe rather than an industrial imitation built on added flavouring.

Poles nearly always drink it with cloudy apple juice. The mix is called Szarlotka after the Polish word for apple pie, and the name is accurate: the vanilla of the grass meets the acidity of the apple, and the result tastes strikingly like baked apple with cinnamon. It is one of the few vodka drinks where the spirit is genuinely meant to be noticed.

Tasting notes

Nose

Freshly cut hay and vanilla on top, with thyme and a floral streak of lavender behind. Nothing sharp anywhere in the aroma.

Palate

Silky and round with a clear herbal character. Lavender and jasmine tea lead, and a fine citrus edge sits underneath it all.

Finish

Medium and lightly sweet. The hay returns at the end, and there is no burning alcohol edge.

Specifications

Name: Zubrowka Bison Grass
Producer: Zubrowka
Region/Country: Poland
Type: Polish Vodka
ABV: 37.5%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Rye vodka flavoured with a tincture of bison grass
EAN no.: 5900343005296
Serving suggestion: Ice cold with fresh cloudy apple juice, one part vodka to three parts juice. The mix is called Szarlotka.

Flavour profile

Herbal · Floral · Silky · Lightly sweet

Did you know?

The coumarin in bison grass was for decades the reason Zubrowka could not be sold in the United States. American authorities banned the compound as a food additive in 1954, and only in 2011 did a special version reach the American market with the coumarin removed. That bottle does not taste quite like this one.

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Frequently asked questions about Zubrowka

What exactly is bison grass?

It is a grass species called Hierochloe odorata, known in English as sweet grass or holy grass. It grows in and around the Białowieża forest where the European bison graze, and it smells powerfully of hay and vanilla once dried. That aroma carries the entire vodka.

Is the blade of grass in the bottle real?

Yes, it is a genuine blade of bison grass, placed there at bottling. It contributes little flavour by itself, since the aroma comes from the tincture, but it is the signature of the brand and a guarantee that you are holding the original recipe. Just leave it where it is.

Which apple juice works best?

Cloudy, and preferably a touch tart. Clear apple juice from concentrate is too sweet and flattens the drink, while a cloudy juice pressed from sharp apples holds its own against the vanilla of the grass. Chill both first and skip the ice if the juice is already cold.

Can you drink it neat?

Yes, and in Poland it is often taken ice cold in a small glass alongside food. Neat, the herbs step forward more clearly and the sweetness is more restrained than in the apple mix. Try it with smoked fish or a rich sausage, where the floral note cuts through.

Why 37.5% rather than 40%?

Because it is built to be mixed. At 37.5% it turns softer and lets the grass aromas sit in front of the alcohol, which is an advantage when apple juice arrives. Any stronger and the vanilla and hay would disappear behind the heat.

Is it sweet?

Only lightly. The aroma of vanilla and hay tricks the nose into expecting something sweeter than it actually is, and that is part of the charm. This is not a liqueur but a flavoured vodka where most of the sweetness sits in the smell.

How does this differ from the other Zubrowka bottlings?

This is the original with bison grass. The brand also makes a clear vodka without grass and a darker variant built on other herbs, and they taste markedly different. If you want the distinctive green, hay scented one, this is it. To compare, browse our Vodka brands.