🥃 Chopin
Chopin is a Polish vodka brand made from potato, rye and wheat; Chopin Potato dates from 1997 and is 40% ABV (80 proof). Made at the former Polmos Siedlce plant; owned by the Dorda family.
Chopin is a Polish vodka brand made from potatoes, rye and wheat. The base Chopin Potato appeared in 1997 and is bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof). It is produced by Podlaska Wytwórnia Wódek at the plant of the former Polmos Siedlce, and according to the brand itself it is owned by the Dorda family.
History. The Polish state monopoly Polmos was created in 1919, and in 1973 the plants were given the name “Polmos” plus their town. According to Difford's Guide, the government privatised the Polmos plants in 1999. According to the brand, the distillery had been making vodka since 1896, and was later bought by Tadeusz Dorda, the founder of the brand.
How it is made. According to Difford's Guide, Chopin Potato is made from Stobrawa potatoes from Mazovia in a four-column distillation process; about ten pounds of potatoes (roughly 4.5 kg) go into a bottle. There are separate lines, Rye and Wheat, which have a different character from the potato one, which is described as softer and creamier. The raw materials are grown by farmers around the distillery.
The range. Potato, Rye, Wheat, as well as Family Reserve bottlings, which the brand handles separately; the label always states the base.
Why this matters to you. “Polska Wódka” (Polish Vodka) is a protected geographical indication: under Polish law since 2013 the spirit must come from Polish rye, wheat, barley, oats, triticale or potatoes, and all stages of production take place in Poland. Potato, rye and wheat vodkas taste different, so read the base. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | brand — 1997 (Difford's Guide); the distillery made vodka from 1896 according to the brand |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | "vodka" category (Reg. (EU) 2019/787); GI "Polska Wódka / Polish Vodka" |
| EU category | 21 — vodka |
| Raw material | potato (Stobrawa, Mazovia), rye, wheat; water |
| Distillation method | four-column process (Chopin Potato) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Chopin → kind of → 🌾 Vodka and grain spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥔 Potato vodka
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍸 Vodka, 🌾 Vodka and grain spirits
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Starka, 🥃 Starka, 🥃 Everclear, 🥃 Everclear, 🥃 Luksusowa
Frequently asked questions
Is Chopin only a potato vodka?
No. There are Potato, Rye and Wheat versions, but the brand promotes the potato one as its signature.
Does Chopin vodka count as Polish Vodka under UK and EU rules?
Yes, as a protected geographical indication: Polish rye, wheat, barley, oats, triticale or potatoes, and every stage in Poland. Read the base on the label.
Why does a US bottle show proof as well as ABV?
US labels often show eighty proof next to 40% ABV. Both describe the base bottling.
Who owns the brand, and where is it made?
The brand says the Dorda family owns it, and it is made at the former Polmos Siedlce plant.
How many times is the potato vodka distilled?
A four-column process is mentioned, and the brand does not give an exact number of passes.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🥔 Potato vodka — Potato vodka is vodka from alcohol obtained by fermenting and distilling potatoes: in the EU at least 37.5% ABV, and the “produced from…” statement is not required for it.
- 🥃 Starka — An oak-aged rye spirit from the Polish and Lithuanian tradition: dark like whisky, made with linden, apple or pear leaves in the barrel; ages range from a few years to half a century.
Similar
🥃 Luksusowa · 🥃 Wyborowa · 🥃 Starka · 🥃 Eristoff · 🥃 Khortytsa · 🥃 Koskenkorva
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Chopin Potato vodka (launched 1997, Podlaska Wytwórnia Wódek Polmos, Stobrawa potatoes from Mazovia, four-column distillation, 40 % ABV)
- Difford's Guide: Polish vodka (Polska Wódka GI, Polish raw materials since 2013, Polmos history, Chopin made by Polmos Siedlce)
- Chopin Vodka (official): potato, rye and wheat from nearby farmers; family-owned business; distillery making vodka since 1896
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019): categories of spirit drinks (whisky/whiskey, vodka, gin) and geographical indications
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)