I'll Have a Frisky Bison, Please (Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka)

Member Name: collingwood21

Product:	Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka
Date:	03/01/08 (2390 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good quality, Unique flavour

Disadvantages: Not easy to find offline

Bison grass vodka admittedly sounds like one of the least promising beverages you could ever hope to come across. Indeed, the bottle label translates the name "Zubrówka" into simply "bison vodka", which sounds even less pleasant. Anyone who has ever seen a bison in a zoo or safari park will understand what I mean; they are less than attractive beasts, so why would I want to spend good money on vodka that tastes of them? Well, the answer is that this vodka does not taste of bison, unless distilled bison happens to produce a pleasant flavour reminiscent of almond, coconut and vanilla. Which I doubt.

Once relegated to more daring and independent bars, Zubrówka is a high quality Polish drink that is becoming increasingly popular and can now be found in much more mainstream establishments such as Wetherspoon's and Waitrose. I first heard of it a couple of years ago when it popped up on the menu of Revolution, a vodka bar in Newcastle serving an impressively comprehensive selection of vodkas and vodka cocktails. They were then serving it in a Bison Mojito (where it is mixed with lime, mint and crushed ice), a drink that I unfortunately found to be repulsive and which put me off trying Zubrówka again for a long time - although to be fair, I think this was more to do with the mint/lime combination than anything else. Fast forward to this Christmas, where my Significant Other was given a bottle of the very same bison grass vodka as a present. Having tried this intriguingly named drink again, I have to report that outside of a Mojito, it is a very nice tipple indeed and well worth a second chance.

The preparation of bison grass vodka is a well-established tradition in Poland that reportedly dates back to the 13th century (if you believe the website) or the 14th century (if you would rather believe the bottle label). Bison grass (also known as sweet grass, holy grass and vanilla grass amongst other things) is an aromatic herb that was widely used across Europe in the past, both in perfumes, to scent churches on special days, and to flavour tobacco and food; in France, it was used in sweets, while Russians made tea with it, for example. More interestingly, however, is the medicinal qualities associated with bison grass. Legend has it that bison grass is an aphrodisiac and can infuse the consumer with strength and virility...although I remain unconvinced on these counts, given that bison grass contains a high concentration of the chemical compound coumarin. Coumarin has mellow, soporific effects if consumed in sufficient quantity, and there is also anecdotal evidence for it having mild psychotropic effects. There have apparently also been rumours of heavy drinkers suffering extensive bleeding from minor wounds due to the anti-coagulant effect of coumarin, but I think we can safely file those away under urban myths. The presence of coumarin has led to Zubrówka being banned in the US since the 1970s, as the chemical is on the FDA's list of prohibited substances. This means that if you are reading this stateside, you have to drink the American export version of Zubrówka, where flavours are reproduced with federally acceptable food additives that are probably a lot worse for you in the long run than a natural grass, as well as giving you inferior vodka. If you are reading this anywhere else, then you can try the real thing, and providing you don't drink it in Frank Gallagher proportions, you won't come to any harm from the coumarin at all.

The trademark of the Zubrówka brand is the single blade of bison grass that is placed in each bottle, confirming that it is the authentic product. The aroma is strongly of almonds, with a subtle hint of vanilla, and unlike a lot of flavoured vodkas that are clear, Zubrówka has a slight yellow/green tint in the bottle. You really need to try this drink on its own at first (preferably chilled or over ice) to appreciate the distinctive flavour of it; the vanilla is much more pronounced in taste than in smell, quite sweet with an aromatic herby aftertaste, and a hint of coconut and the almonds that I could smell. There really is nothing else like it! The most popular way to drink Zubrówka, however, is in what the Poles call a tatanka or what Wetherspoon's refer to as a Frisky Bison - mixed with apple juice. The proportions for this cocktail vary; some recipes recommend a ratio of 1 part vodka to 2 parts juice, but personally I prefer it mixed slightly longer. In this cocktail, the flavour of the Zubrówka takes on a curious change and the herby element becomes rather cinnamony, so it is like you are drinking liquid apple strudel. It is worth buying a bottle just for this one recipe alone, and it has now become a firm favourite with us.

Other recipes to try are:

**The Appletini**
1 part Zubrówka
1 part apple liqueur
Apple juice to taste
Mix and serve in a Martini glass

**Double Bull**
Zubrówka and Red Bull - mix to taste and serve over ice

**Polish Strike**
1 part Zubrówka
1 part apple schnapps
2 parts apple juice
Squeeze of lime
Shake all of the ingredients and serve over ice

**Turew-tini**
1 part Zubrówka
1 part honey vodka
1 part plain vodka
1 part apple juice
Shake well and serve in a Martini glass

No doubt we will be buying more bottles of Zubrówka in future as we find more cocktails to us it in - just as long as they don't involve sullying the fine flavours with mint leaves!

Recommended.


ABV: 40%
Availability: Can be bought from most stockists of imported and flavoured vodkas, such as www.thedrinkshop.com (£15.19 for 700ml) and www.drinkon.com (£15.49 for 700ml).
Website: www.zubrowka.net

Summary: Apple strudel in a glass - how can you resist?