What are the regulations for making Polish vodka?
Polish vodka sold as Polska Wodka is a protected name in the EU. It must be made from alcohol of rye, wheat, barley, oats, triticale or potatoes grown in Poland, with all production in Poland, and unflavored versions may contain no additive other than water. Other vodka made in Poland can still be sold as vodka but not under that name.
Free download
Home Bar Storage Chart (PDF): How long liqueurs, spirits, wine and mixers last, opened and unopened. 25 rows, each with its source.
Thank you
Your chart is ready
We use your email only for this download.Also free:
Milk and Dairy Storage Chart (PDF)Juice, Soda and Water Storage Chart (PDF)Coffee, Tea and Hot Drinks Storage Chart (PDF)Drink Strength, Calories and Units Cheat Sheet (PDF)Want the full pack? About 10 printable sheets: a larger chart for each drink type, a “has it gone off?” checklist, date labels, a party planner and an inventory sheet.
In this article
What are the rules for making Polish vodka?
There are two layers. General vodka rules apply to every vodka sold in the EU, and a stricter protected name, Polska Wodka (Polish Vodka), applies only to vodka that follows Poland’s technical file (EU No PGI-PL-01967). The summary below follows that file.
What can Polska Wodka be made from?
- Ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin made only from rye, wheat, barley, oats, triticale or potatoes.
- The cereals or potatoes must be grown in Poland, and all production stages take place in Poland.
- It can be grain vodka, from one or any mix of those cereals, or potato vodka made only from potatoes.
Corn is not on the list.
What additives are allowed?
Unflavored Polska Wodka may not contain any additive other than water, and no sugar may be added. It is mixed with demineralised water. A flavored version may use natural flavourings and, in some cases, colourings, with a limit on sugar.
What about strength?
The file sets a strength of 37.5 to 55 percent ABV for plain Polska Wodka, and 37.5 to 70 percent for flavored. Most bottles are around 40 percent, so check the label.
What does the label tell you?
| Label wording | What it means |
|---|---|
| Polska Wodka or Polish Vodka | Made to the protected Polish technical file |
| Made in Poland | Produced there, but not necessarily under the protected name’s rules |
| Potato or rye | States the base, useful for taste |
Who checks it?
The technical file names Poland’s Agri-Food Commercial Quality Inspectorate as the control authority.
How should you check a bottle?
Read the label for the base, ABV and producer. A producer’s own explanation of its distillation and base is more useful than marketing words like premium.
People also ask
What is Polska Wodka?
A protected EU name for vodka made from rye, wheat, barley, oats, triticale or potatoes grown in Poland, produced entirely in Poland.
Can Polish vodka be made from corn?
Not under the protected Polska Wodka name. Its technical file lists only rye, wheat, barley, oats, triticale and potatoes.
Can unflavored Polish vodka have additives?
The technical file says no additive other than water is allowed in unflavored Polska Wodka.
Sources
About · How we verify this · Editorial policy · Corrections
What would help you most next?
One tap. Anonymous. It helps us decide what to build.
Thank you. The free charts above are yours to keep.
