🥃 Wyborowa

Wyborowa is a Polish vodka brand from Poznań, made from rye and diluted with water to 40% ABV (80 proof). The name means “select” or “refined”. Its history is traced back to 1823, and in 1927 it became the first vodka with a registered international trademark. Today the brand belongs to the French group Pernod Ricard.

History. According to Difford's Guide, Hartwig Kantorowicz opened a modern distillery in Poznań in 1823. The name is linked to a newspaper contest in which the jury chairman supposedly called the drink “wyborowa”, meaning select. Sources tell this legend in different ways, so treat it with care. The vodka is made by a company in Poznań, and the brand is owned by Pernod Ricard, which also owns Absolut.

How it's made. The base is 100% rye grown in western Poland. It is mashed and distilled once at about thirty small farm distilleries. The resulting raw spirit is rectified in a three-column still at the Wyborowa distillery. Water brings the strength to 40% ABV. Other sources give a different number of distillations, so check the producer's description for each version.

Range. There are several versions, including Blue Label on a rye base and Exquisite. Their base and strength can differ, so read the label.

Why this matters to you. In the EU, vodka is a separate category of spirit drinks, and “Polska Wódka” is a protected name for vodka made from Polish raw materials. Whether a specific Wyborowa bottle carries it, check the label rather than assume. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.