Vodka has been produced in Poland for more than 600 years which is a decent passage of time to get the hang of things. So it's not surprising that it produces some very visible commercial stuff and can claim some of the world's big name brands as its own. But commercial vodkas, even from a country with as noble a distilling past as Poland's, are increasingly alike. Twice, thrice and even five times distilled before being filtered and then filtered again, vodka has become a neutral, largely tasteless, spirit to which you add something. Or served so cold, as a shot, that the only recognizable element is the alcohol.

It wasn't always this way. Once upon a time, long before effective tax collection systems, big brands, global marketing and idiosyncratic bureaucrats in Brussels, Polish vodka was an artisanal product. It was made in small batches in villages and small towns across Poland just as wine was and still is produced in France and much of the rest of the world.

Each batch was distinctive and never repeated since the raw materials, grains at first and later also potatoes, were different from year to year depending on the weather and other factors. Equally important, a single distillation ensured that the specific aromas and tastes were not lost and each batch had its own spirit of time and place.

Vestal Vodka's goal is to recapture this spirit of time and place and introduce you to the true spirit of Poland.

WARNING: Once you've tasted a Vestal Vodka you'll probably never want to drink a commercial vodka again