Zubrowka
The Polish vodka with a blade of grass in the bottle, made with hand-picked bison grass from the Białowieża primeval forest. Everything about the taste, the varieties, the cocktails and the glass that goes with it.
The vodka with a blade of grass in the bottle
Zubrowka is a Polish vodka that gets its character from hierochloe odorata, known in Dutch as veenreukgras and in Poland as 'żubrówka' or bison grass. The grass grows in the Białowieża primeval forest in eastern Poland, where the last wild European bison also live; they eat the grass, hence the name and the bison on the label. The grass is picked by hand, dried and infused, and each bottle of Bison Grass contains one blade.
The vodka itself is distilled from rye and is remarkably smooth. Alongside the classic Bison Grass, there is the clear Biala, without a grassy taste, and a range of flavours: Rosé with forest fruits and rosehip, Vanilla with Madagascar vanilla, Raspberry and Mango Passionfruit. The percentages differ: Bison Grass and most flavours are 37.5%, Vanilla is 35% and Rosé is 32%.
In brief
What types of Zubrowka are there?
Zubrowka Bison Grass
The original with the blade of grass in the bottle. Smooth and light green in colour, with vanilla, almond and freshly mown grass.
Zubrowka Biala
The clear, neutral variant without bison grass. Smooth and clean; the vodka for cocktails where you don't want a grassy taste.
Zubrowka Biala 1 litre
The one-litre Biala bottle for the home bar or a party. Better value per glass if you mix a lot.
Zubrowka Rosé
Bison grass with wild berries, rosehip and a hint of juniper. Best with tonic, plenty of ice and fresh berries.
Zubrowka Vanilla
Smooth Zubrowka with real Madagascan vanilla. Full and creamy in flavor; popular in the Pornstar Martini.
Zubrowka Raspberry
Fresh raspberry flavor on Zubrowka's smooth base. Enjoy neat as a shot or with Sprite and lime.
Zubrowka Mango Passionfruit
Mango and passion fruit in a well-balanced, fruity vodka. With pineapple juice or tonic, it makes a summery highball.
Bison Grass is the original; Biala is the neutral vodka to mix with.
Fresh grass, vanilla and almond
Cut grass & vanilla
Unmistakable: freshly cut grass, hay and vanilla, with a hint of almond. Very different from a neutral vodka.
Smooth and lightly sweet
Noticeably smooth, with vanilla, almond and a grassy herbal note. The 37.5% is barely noticeable.
Herbal and dry
A dry, lightly herbal finish with cinnamon and grass. This keeps it fresh rather than sweet.
Flavor profile of Zubrowka Bison Grass. Biala is neutral and scores lower across the board; the flavored varieties score 4/5 for fruitiness.
Three ways to drink Zubrowka
In Poland, Zubrowka is drunk ice-cold from the freezer, but the best-known way is the Tatanka: bison grass vodka with cloudy apple juice.
As a Tatanka
50 ml Zubrowka Bison Grass with 150 ml cloudy apple juice over plenty of ice in a highball glass, with a slice of apple. The grass and apple pair surprisingly well; this is the classic Polish serve.
Glass: highball glass →Ice-cold from the freezer
Put the bottle in the freezer for a few hours and pour 4 cl into a pre-chilled shot glass. The vodka becomes thicker and smoother, and the grassy flavor becomes more subtle. This is how they drink it in Poland with food.
Glass: shot glass →In a Pornstar Martini
50 ml Zubrowka Vanilla, 30 ml passion fruit purée, 15 ml lime and 10 ml vanilla syrup shaken in a coupe, with a small glass of prosecco on the side. The vanilla in the vodka does the work here.
Go to the recipe →The best cocktails with Zubrowka
Pornstar Martini
Vanilla vodka, passion fruit and lime, with a shot of prosecco on the side.
Moscow Mule
Vodka, ginger beer and lime in a copper mug. Biala is the right choice here.
Bloody Mary
Vodka, tomato juice, lemon and herbs. A neutral vodka lets the herbs shine.
Espresso Martini
Vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur. Vanilla makes it rounder and sweeter.The right glass for Zubrowka
A highball glass for the Tatanka with apple juice, a shot glass for drinking straight ice-cold, a copper mule cup for the Moscow Mule and a coupe for the Pornstar Martini. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Zubrowka
Is your question not listed? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
To the cocktail recipes →