Konik’s Tail Tasting Notes

Everyone loves a good back story. Whether it’s a distillery that covered generations of the same family, to a humble no body who had a dream, or even just a nod to an experience in some one’s lives. The most dramatic sometimes are the legends. Take Konik’s Tail for example. One glance at their website and you’ll see the mystery as a bottle is entwined within forest trees. Konik’s Tail legend is laid out for all to see -

‘Time stands still in Bialowieza, Poland’s last remaining primeval forest. So still, the snap of a twig alerts the native Konik to gather and gallop at great speed through the ancient forest. Sure footed on their time-worn path, their shimmering tails brush and blend with the silver birch, stirring up the pure air of this enchanted place.
The primeval Konik is the elusive spirit of the forest. To catch a glimpse is said to ensure a good harvest for the making of great vodka.

In times gone by Koniks were disturbed from their winter world, and harnessed to help with the harvest, gathering the precious grains selected for this most classic of vodkas …’

I don’t know about you but after reading that I’m rather intrigued about this Polish vodka.

Konik’s Tail is produced in limited quantities, nodding back to the early Polish era of traditional vodka making, by Pleurat Shabani and Master of the Cellar Bernadeta Ejsmont. The story of Mr Shabani is itself an intriguing tale. To nutshell what Pleurat is all about, he came to London in the early nineties from war-torn Croatia, stumbled into getting a job washing up in an Angus Steak House and took a night job as a bar security guard – and cruelly lost it all and became homeless. He finally worked his way back up through bars into a career in the drinks industry which led to him breaking out with his own vodka brand. He can also claim that his vodka outsold big shot rivals Grey Goose and Belvedere in the final weeks of December last year by more than 25 times in Selfridge’s. Hat’s off to you, sir.

A unique blend of three grains – Golden Rye, Early Winter Wheat and Ancient Spelt, is the highlight of the production process. And to keep it 100% authentic, all the grains coming to the distillery are furnished with a unique lot number so the grain can be traced back to the farmer’s field and the source of the seed. Konik’s Tail is distilled at the Polmos Bialystok distillery (also home of Zubrowka), which is situated close to the Białowieza Forest. No sugar or other additives are used to sweeten or flavour Konik’s Tail but it is filtered through silver birch charcoal. Each bottle is filled and labelled by hand and signed by Pleurat Shabani himself. The label itself features three wild Koniks that each represent one of the three grains as well as the name of the vodka.

So how does it fare? Well below, I give to you my tasting notes -

Konik’s Tail – 40%

Soft vanilla on a clean nose, almost velvet. Developing flavour with a rich vanilla and herbal mix which produces a warm spice. Creates a very long finish with a slow mouth-watering effect. A little dry at the end but still moorish.

A fantastic tipple, best served neat or over ice. Although you may want to try one of these -

The Rhubarb Royale

Glass –

Martini

Ingredients –

30 ml Konik’s Tail
12.5 ml Velvet Falernum liqueur
2 x 20 cm sticks of raw rhubarb
Dash of lemon juice
Champagne to top up

Method -

Run small stick of raw rhubarb around the rim of the Martini glass and dip rim in sugar crystals. Place the muddled second piece of rhubarb, Konik’s Tail, Velvet Falernum and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and mix well. Strain immediately into the glass top up with the champagne (do not mix) and replace strip of rhubarb on rim as decoration.

Sounds fancy yet is actually rather simple to create. Grab yourself a bottle, or indeed order it in your local bar. London is your best bet at the moment but word is getting out around the UK that this is a must have vodka.

© David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Davna Tasting Notes

A country loves a secret. Whether it’s a recipe handed down for generations or a production method that has stood the test of time, its origin country will be proud to say that they can firmly stamp their name alongside that brand. One such name is Davna. A Polish vodka that created from old-time recipes and causing a stir with rival brands, especially a certain bison grass vodka. So what is Davna, and more importantly, how can I say such a thing to rival established names?

Davna’s main flavour is Bizon where its secret recipe was recently unearthed by two Polish vodka connoisseurs looking to recapture the traditional, authentic flavours of old-school Polish vodkas. The rediscovered recipe for Davna Bizon has never been released, but promises ‘to capture the clean, delicate taste of bison grass, which has been used to flavour Polish vodka for hundreds of years.’

Interesting, especially to a man who loves the traditionalism of spirits and drinks. But how does it  re-create these ‘traditional’ recipes?

The bizon grass is the favoured food of Poland’s bison which roam the last primeval forest in Europe. Picked in early summer, the bison grass, or Hierochloe Odorata grass, is harvested in early summer within the Bialowieza forest in Eastern Poland. The grass is harvested in full bloom then dried naturally. The dried grass is spread on screens and then gently heated and washed over with high strength alcohol for several days to ‘draw’ out the aromatic essence. It’s Czeri (cherry) flavour, the other in its portfolio, uses freshly hand-picked cherries from a Polish orchard in East and South Poland and then macerated for two weeks in top quality vodka. It is then rested for a full year in oak barrels before blending with natural extracts from cinnamon, almonds, cloves and vanilla. After this, it’s rested for a further seven days then filtered and bottled.

So with two flavours coming from traditional recipes, how do they fare? Well below, I give to you my tasting notes on each -

Davna Bizon – 40%

Soft herbs and light almonds on the nose, with the herbs coming through more dominant on the palate. A little sharp near the finish with a fresh ‘grassy’ flavour that lingers on a dry end.

Davna Czeri – 38%

Soft cherry on the nose with a slight cinnamon aroma. A slight spice hit on the palate to begin with the cherry just overpowering it as it develops. Rather short but warming.

Not bad on its own, and ones that can go simply with apple juice (Bizon) and coca cola (Czeri). Worth asking for if you ever came across it within your favourite bar, or indeed your own drinks cabinet.

Check out the rest of the photos, taken at Epernay, via my Facebook page.

© David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The Liquorists Belvedere Trail Review

Ever feel like having a night of luxury? A night of sophistication? Well last week Manchester showcased themselves with a brand that oozes these qualities and more with the ever elegant Belvedere and the ever knowledgeable and glamour of The Liquorists. The usual trait of five bars. five samples and five cocktails to indulge in, with a gathering sporting a mix of bloggers and consumers set the tone for a night that despite there only being the one brand on offer, an excitement rippled through as we met in The River Bar & Restaurant in The Lowry Hotel. I knew from past experience what Belvedere has to offer, but am yet to really see what it can do when mixed with cocktails and food, so when Tom Sneesby gave us a history of Belvedere, I eagerly caught the eye of the Belvedere Polish Zephyr being handed out with a base of Belvedere Pure, pink grapefruit, almond and Fever Tree tonic water that came complimented with passionfruit jelly cubes. Heaven.

To fit so much into a night, you have to experience and savour to the best of your abilities as you’re soon whisked off to the next venue which in our case was The Liquorists own #22redbank. Here, Jody Monteith was busy creating us a bartender favourite – Bloody Mary using the aptly named Belvedere Bloody Mary. An expression I rate well on its own, it was interesting to see it used in its primary use, and also in a traditional form – vodka, Tabasco, Worcester sauce, dash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Complete with celery stick, it was a smooth addition to its rather spicy self when sipped on its own. The added olives and chorizo slices completed the visit to the speakeasy style venue and we were soon whisked off to a relatively new addition to the Manchester bar scene in Kosmonaut. First ventured into on the tequila trail, I was glad to be back and also trying something new to me. Belvedere Citrus made an appearance here with a fresh nose and long, smooth offering on the palate. Perfect then for Kosmonaut’s own Amir Javaid and his trail created cocktail named the Belvedere Triangle. A mix of citrus, Briotett rhubarb liqueur, egg white, clementine juice and grenadine, it served very well with a rather unusual accompaniment, a Mr Kipling lemon slice. Genius!

Belvedere Polish Zephyr and passionfruit jelly

Driven to the other side of the city, Epernay was back into the trail loop with Belvedere Grapefruit ready and waiting with a black forest gateaux with Belvedere Grapefruit infused cream. A nod to Ernist Hemingway while we were there too as we savoured the Ayala Champagne heavy Hemingway Royale which also housed grapefruit juice and maraschino. Although not the biggest fan of grapefruit, the use in Belvedere doesn’t overpower so it resulted in a rather enjoyable tipple, especially with the nice touch of a vodka based gateaux. Last on our whirlwind tour was to be Manchester’s newest pop-up in The Ski Club.
Housed in Spinningfields, its decor, as you would imagine, resembled a ski club, complete with melted cheese fondue, meat and cheese platters and Belvedere Intense. This version in their portfolio was saved till last with its instant mouth-watering effect that seemed to last for ever. Food a plenty and a gathering that all easily got on well together made for a great ending to a night that promoted luxury, glamour and excitement.

Sound good? GET ON IT.

Check out the rest of the photos via my Facebook page.

© David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Thyme for a new Zubrowka Full Moon Cocktail

The latest in the Zubrowka Full Moon Series. Find the past recipes here.

 

A full moon will cast its mysterious spell over the world on 30 September – to celebrate this captivating lunar spectacle, Zubrowka brand ambassador and cocktail connoisseur, Pawel Rolka, has created the Zubrowka Thyme Full MoonCocktail.

 

Legendhas it that the bison grass that gives Zubrowka its distinctive herbaceous flavour grows surprisingly well under a full moon. It is not known what causes this enchanting natural wonder, but the rare bison grass, which only grows in the remote Bialowieza Forest in north-east Poland, becomes remarkably fragrant and releases a unique almond-like vanilla aroma during this mysterious lunar phase.

 

The full moon is expected to occur when the moon is exactly opposite the sun ataround 3am (GMT) on 30 September. To celebrate the unusual influence the full moon has on the bison grass, Pawel Rolka has prepared a special Full Moon Cocktail – the Zubrowka Thyme

 

Commenting on his Zubrowka Thyme Full Moon Cocktail, Pawel Rolka said: “Thyme has a wonderfully distinctive aromatic flavour that works beautifully well alongside the herbaceous notes of our bison grass-infused vodka. Thyme also has a slightly warming character, which will be perfect for the September full moon – the temperature might be dropping, but the Zubrowka Thyme Full Moon Cocktail will lift your spirits.”

 

The Zubrowka Thyme Full Moon Cocktail will be shared on Zubrowka’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/zubrowkauk and Twitter feed @Zubrowkauk

 

Bartenders and budding cocktail creators everywhere will be invited to submit their own Full Moon Cocktail creations.

 

This Zubrowka Full Moon Cocktail is the fourth in a series – a delightful new cocktail combination will be created each month on the date of the full moon.

 

Zubrowka Thyme

Ingredients

 50ml Zubrowka
15ml thyme syrup
15ml lemon juice
Lemon wedge

For the garnish – A fresh sprig of thyme and a thin strip of lemon peel

Mixing instructions

Combine all ingredients together into an ice filled tumbler and stir. Add the lemon wedge and garnish with a fresh sprig of thyme and a strip of lemon peel

Zubrowka Tasting Notes

Poland is the home of many a good vodka. Belvedere is probably the most recognisable brand along with the likes of Sobieski, U’luvka and Wyborowa close behind, but there’s a name that most have probably heard, but never tasted before – Zubrowka Bison Grass.

Zubrowka is distilled at the Polmos Bialystok Distillery located 200km North East of Warsaw, where in this region vodka has been flavoured with bison grass for over 600 years. The Białowieża Forest in Northern Poland houses a consistent supply of bison grass and for centuries has been used in a variety of ways including rituals, construction of every-day items and more commonly as a medicine. It’s also here in the Białowieża Forest that the native bison roam, hence the name ‘Bison Grass vodka’.
The predominantly rye based vodka goes through a rather simple process to create the bison grass flavour. Bison grass is picked by hand at the height of summer, carefully dried and then crushed before the distilled vodka is forced through it several times. The resulting finish is then blended with the base rye vodka and rested for several days before being bottled. The bison grass also gives the vodka its slight yellow appearance and its signature blade of grass placed in each bottle adds a delicate layer of flavouring.

So how does Zubrowka compare to other flavoured vodkas? Well below I give to you my tasting notes -

Zubrowka - 40%

Lots of light grass aromas on the nose with a slight earthy note coming through near the end. Rather a raw beginning on the palate but mellows into a fresh, creamy flavour of grass and vanilla with a slight kick of spice. Becomes rather soft at the end.

You may have heard of many rumours of mixing Zubrowka and apple juice together, and to be fair it’s not a bad combination, but maybe give one of these a try -

Zubrowka Apple Martini

Apple Martini

Glass -

Martini

Ingredients -

50ml - Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka
¼ – Fresh green apple cut into pieces
10ml – Apple liqueur
5-10ml - Elderflower cordial

Method-

Muddle the apple pieces and elderflower cordial in the bottom of a glass to release and combine their flavours. Add the Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka, apple liqueur and some ice –and shake. Fine strain then serve. Garnish with a slice of apple.

This cocktail idea has been taken from their ‘Full Moon’ range, and you can find a whole host of others here.

Zubrowka has been around since the 16th Century but has only been available in the UK since 2000. In its 12 years it still racks up awards including most recently Monde Selection Grand Gold medals in 2012 and 2011. Not bad for something you can see on nearly every back-bar in the country. It’s there for a reason ladies and gentleman – give it a go!

Take a look at the rest of the photos, taken at The Circle 360, via my Facebook page.

© David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.