🥃 Bison Grass Vodka

Bison grass vodka is the Polish vodka with a blade of grass in the bottle and a scent of fresh hay, known to many drinkers by the Żubrówka brand. It is a flavoured vodka infused with bison grass. Under its full name, "Wódka ziołowa z Niziny Północnopodlaskiej aromatyzowana ekstraktem z trawy żubrowej", it is a protected geographical indication: it is made only in the North Podlasie Lowland from Polish raw materials.

The grass. Bison grass is the fragrant grass Hierochloe odorata and Hierochloe australis, which grows on this lowland. Its scent of fresh hay comes from coumarin. According to Difford's Guide, the grass is picked by hand once a year, in June, then dried and tied into bundles. The tradition of flavouring spirit this way is said to date back to the 14th century.

Requirements. Under a Polish regulation of the Minister of Agriculture of 23 December 2010, the base is made from agricultural spirit of at least 96.5% ABV, then flavoured with grass maceration. The finished drink must contain at least 7 mg/l of coumarin and no more than 4.5 g/l of sugar. Under EU rules this is category 31, flavoured vodka, from 37.5% ABV.

Bottle and markets. A grass stem is often placed in the bottle, which gives the drink a faint green tint. Coumarin as a food additive is banned in the USA and Canada, so, according to Difford's Guide, the version for North America is flavoured differently and tastes different.

Why this matters to you. Only vodka from the North Podlasie Lowland may carry this protected name; drinks from elsewhere cannot use it, although the words "bison grass" appear on labels in other places too. A grass stem in the bottle is a tradition, not a requirement of the specification. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.