| Wisent Bison Grass Vodka
by Kevin R. Kosar Bison grass vodka (generically called Zubrowka- Zubr is Polish for bison) carries a bit of a mystique about it. Some have sad drinking it will fire up the libido, others claim it has medicinal powers. The fog around this product was no doubt enhanced in 1978 when the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) banned its importation. Purportedly, the BATF did this because they found that bison grass, specifically the coumarin therein, thinned the blood and might be carcinogenic. |
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Happily, though, bison grass vodka
is returning to America. To avoid the ire of the BATF, they've eliminated
the coumarin. This was a tricky task, though, as coumarin was much
of the reason bison grass was added to vodka. As the good people
at www.PolishVodkas.com explain:
"The source of Zubrowka's wealth of qualities is a plant of unassuming appearance called sweet grass, holy grass, Seneca grass or vanilla grass, or in Latin Hierochloe odorata. In Poland we call it bison grass...Bison grass contains coumarin, a glycoside with a distinctive fragrance, once generally used to flavor tobacco, cakes and beverages." |
| Thus, it is hoped, we now can have
bison grass vodka with no coumarin-related health risks but the same qualities
that made Bison Grass such an attractive additive to vodka. Bison
grass vodkas can be taken straight, with ice, or mixed with ginger ale
or apple juice.
Wisent Bison Grass Vodka (40% Alcohol By Volume) comes from the Lancut Distillery of Polmos, Poland. It's crafted from rye and has no artificial flavoring or coloring. Those familiar with our vodka reviews will recall we spoke highly of Lancut's Biala Dama and Polka vodkas. Once again we are impressed. Wisent is quite complex, nosing and tasting of coconut, mint, hay and more. It's remarkably good, and vodka lovers should not pass it by. Highly recommended. (Rating ****1/4) |
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