ShareSaveLifestyleSpiritsThe World’s Top 10 Vodkas According To The International Wine & Spirits CompetitionByJoseph V Micallef Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the worldFollow AuthorAug 14 01:51pm EDTShareSaveThis article is more than 4 years old.odka Cocktails Vodka is the one spirit that is truly international It is consumed in around 200 countries around the world and is produced in approximately 100 countries There are over a 1,000 different vodka brands they sell more than 330 million nine-liter cases The top 10 brands sell about 100 million cases yearly The US alone consumes around 75 million cases a year Vodka is the largest spirits category in the US and represents roughly one out of every three dollars spent on spirits The International Wines & Spirits Competition recently announced the top vodkas from the 2020 judging Only 10 names out of the hundreds of vodkas submitted to the competition were awarded the IWSC’s highest medal award none of the global brands that dominate the international vodka market appeared among the IWSC’s top ten vodkas Below is a list of the world’s top 10 vodkas along with tasting notes from the IWSC’s judging panel Dom Wina is an artisanal Polish vodka that is flavored with plums and blackthorn and linden honey The fruit is macerated in the vodka for up to six weeks before it is filtered and bottled Aromatic sloes are joined by kirsch and ripe plums on the nose An interplay between sweet apricot and tea develops on a lovely Festive spices and marzipan evolve into a cooling Full floral nose of freshly perfumed orange blossom Clean citrus notes and a touch of orange oil and rosewater on the palate Bottles of Stolichnaya vodka after bottling and labeling on the production line in Riga More 'Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg Famille Naud is a French Cognac producer who also produces a pot still The grain is sourced from the agricultural region to the northeast of Paris There is a delicious sweet warming quality almost rum-like and a candied chocolate creaminess to boot Tayport’s vodka is based on a mash bill of malted barley Comforting cacao nibs enveloped in rich chocolate loaf and laced with malted spiced vanilla Smooth and luxurious; a gorgeously unctuous textured sweet nectar Mamont Vodka is a six-time distilled Russian vodka made at the Itkul distillery in the Altai region of Siberia from locally grown The vodka is flavored with the addition of some cedar nut spirit and is then filtered through silver birch charcoal Delicately perfumed on the nose with a touch of almond A sense of savouriness develops with a slightly salted mouthfeel balanced by a gentle sweetness Polska Fabryka Wódek (Polish Vodka Factory) is one of Poland’s leading distillers They produce a variety of beverages including Paderewski Vodka a lifted arc on the mid-palate is laced with both luscious and zesty notes we journey magnificently towards a long languorous finish Cyprus is one of around 100 countries that produce vodka Polar Ice Arctic Extreme vodka is Canada’s fourth best-selling vodka and is produced at the Hiram Walker and Sons distillery in Windsor the vodka is inspired by Canada’s pristine Arctic north and utilizes a unique 6° C chill filtration process designed to produce an exceptionally smooth vodka Supremely clean nose with unctuous liquorice and the tiniest touch of chocolate and walnut evolving on the palate Sublimely complex with exquisite texture and balance Stalinskaya is not inspired by Joseph Stalin The Romanian vodka is distilled from top grade wheat using a proprietary three step distillation process it is then “filtered through birch charcoal and silver ions for smoothness and exceptional clarity.” the nose opens with cacao and hazelnut and the palate introduces faint notes of nutmeg and clove before rich chocolate and tonka bean emerge It has high levels of the chemical coumarin and is illegal to sell in the US for human consumption) Beautifully poised with excellent weight this is decadent and truly outstanding vodka Halewood is a British based artisanal wine and spirits producer that operates 12 distilleries around the world Their Vestal Vintage 2015 Potato Vodka is sourced in Poland The use of potatoes as a base gives the vodka an exceptionally smooth viscous character with a pronounced palate weight Sublimely Autumnal; earthy sweet soft clods of steamy cooked vegetal aromas laced with rich velvety asparagus crumbled marvelously into Autumnal garden essence Georgian Bay Spirit Vodka needs no introduction It has already been selected as the Best Vodka at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition The distillery uses water from Elmvale Ontario which it considers “the purest water on the planet.” Seasoned with delicately nuanced notes of cherry The palate features a touch of lemon and lime – a transcendental touch A collision on Provincial Road 631 between a passenger car and a military truck resulted in the death of the 31-year-old driver of the car The man was resuscitated but could not be saved and firefighters had to use hydraulic equipment to extract his body including 23 soldiers from the 2nd Mazovian Engineer Regiment in Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki They were on their way to scheduled shooting exercises according to local news outlet TVN Warszawa Dziś rano na drodze wojewódzkiej numer 631 zderzyły się trzy samochody - w tym wojskowa ciężarówka, którą podróżowało 25 osób. Najciężej ranna ofiara zmarła. Na razie nie są znane przyczyny wypadku. pic.twitter.com/euwMqFi3jq The accident happened when the driver of a Volkswagen Caddy attempted to overtake another vehicle, veering into the opposite lane and crashing head-on into the military truck. One soldier was injured, and the others are expected to undergo medical checks. According to the latest information, eight people were injured in the accident and were transported to hospitals in Legionowo and the Military Medical Institute in Warsaw. The most seriously injured person required a helicopter from the Polish Medical Rescue Service (LPR), which was dispatched to the scene. Source: PAP/TVP Info/TVN Warszawa/Polsat News The new store in the town of Sieraków in the Wielkopolski region is the first to use artificial intelligence solutions in its store management. Next to the new store, a bicycle repair station has been set up and a bench where telephones can be charged with solar power has been placed. Over 2021, we opened 1,100 stores and now our chain numbers 8,000, which together provide over 30,000 jobs. We are developing more intensely in towns of under 50,000 people, many of which, just like Sieraków, have never had a Żabka store before.Adam Manikowski, the managing director of the Żabka chain CA Immo exits non-core market Serbia with the sale of the 19,600 sqm office building Sava Business Center in Belgrade. Both the sales price and the buyer are subject to confidentiality. As the PBSA sector finally takes off in Poland, it is now increasingly attracting international operators and investors. Eurobuild CEE spoke to Xior's investment manager, Tomasz Paszkowski, about why it has such confidence in the Polish market. Residential developer Develia has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire all the shares in Bouygues Immobilier Polska, the Polish subsidiary of Bouygues Immobilier. ESA logistika has leased 15,000 sqm in Prologis Park Piotrków. GLP has completed the development of its Wrocław V Logistics Centre and has received a BREEAM rating of Outstanding. Panattoni has secured EUR 40 mln in financing from BNP Paribas for the development of Panattoni Park Sosnowiec IV. Newgate Investment (NGI) and Redkom Development are developing a large retail park in Bydgoszcz. Deutsche Hypo – NORD/LB Real Estate Finance has provided a five-year green loan to Olivia Seven for the refinancing of the Olivia Prime A office building in Gdańsk-Oliwa. US technology, communications and security company Motorola Solutions has signed a five-year lease renewal, starting in August 2027, for app. 18,000 sqm at the Green Office complex in Kraków’s Podgórze district. Falling interest rates and easing monetary policy across the eurozone and CEEi are boosting investor confidence in the region’s commercial real estate market, reveals Colliers in its ‘Beyond Real Estate | Economy’ report. Panattoni is to build the Panattoni Park Mainz Süd in Erbes-Büdesheim bei Alzey. Axi Immo has presented its latest report “Warsaw Office Market – Q1 2025. The market opened in 2025 on a steady footing, with a notable increase in leasing activity and a modest decline in vacancy. While new supply remains constrained, landlords continue to focus on upgrading existing assets and prioritizing quality over quantity.  Convenience store chain Żabka has officially opened a new logistics centre in Kąty Wrocławskie. The first stage of the development will serve 1,500 stores in the Wrocław area. Romanian Post has leased over 5,000 sqm of logistics space in CTPark Bucharest to serve as its temporary regional courier and logistics hub for Bucharest. JLL has announced the sale and leaseback of two properties by a manufacturing company in a deal worth over PLN 1 bln. Warehouse developer CTP is adding 2,000 sqm to its Clubco coworking development in Brno. pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank has extended an investment facility to PineBridge Benson Elliot for the Diuna Office Park in Warsaw. The hotel market in Bucharest continued its recovery in 2024, in terms of RevPAR and occupancy rate, while the ADR has finally surpassed the milestone of EUR 100. Torus has announced its All.inn students’ residence concept that is soon to appear on ul. Konarskiego in Gdańsk. Mall Moldova has opened in Iași. The tenants include. Ikea, Peek & Cloppenburg and Leroy Merlin. BIG Poland has acquired the Multishop Suwałki retail park comprising 13,000 sqm of retail space. The company now owns nine fully commercialized retail parks in Poland, totalling 175,300 sqm gla. Slate Asset Management has sold three OBI retail stores to the Lindner Group from Germany. The price has not been disclosed. Cushman & Wakefield has conducted a survey, the findings of which are presented in the report From Shopping to Experiences: A Customer’s View on Shopping Centres and Retail Parks. Cushman & Wakefield notes that despite evolving shopping trends, both retail formats continue to hold strong appeal. Multi Poland has taken on the management of the Galeria Przymorze shopping centre in Gdańsk. JD Sports is entering Gemini Park Tarnów. The store offers lifestyle and sporting clothing and is to open this spring. According to the "Quo Vadis E-commerce" report released by Cushman & Wakefield, the online commerce continues to be a growth driver for the industrial & logistics real estate sector, generating significant opportunities for developers and investors. Ceetrus, the investor behind the Projekt Góraszka shopping and entertainment complex in Wiązowna on Warsaw’s eastern outskirts, has obtained a building permit for a mixed-use development. Poznan-based company Scallier is opening another facility under the Funshop Park brand in Romania. The retail park of approx. 10,000 sqm, located in the Arad district, is nearing completion. According to the latest report “At a Glance: Modern Retail Market in Poland, Q4 2024” from BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland, Poland’s retail market experienced record growth in 2024, expanding at its fastest pace since 2015. Cushman &Wakefield has summarised the situation on the Polish retail market. Over half a mln sqm of new retail space came on stream last year, marking the highest new supply level in Poland since 2015. This robust development activity occurred amid rising demand from new retailers and improving consumer sentiment which boosted retail sales. A new retail park with a total area of 24,000 sqm is set to be developed in Otwock under the name Świderek. The investment will be led by Redkom Development. Empik has opened a flagship store in the revitalised former Cepelia pavilion in the centre of Warsaw. Neglected for years, the modernist building has regained its former glory and once again impresses with its original appearance and modern interior. Trei Real Estate Poland has opened its 40th Vendo Park. The investment was created in Wrocław and has 5,000 sqm. Vendo Park Wrocław is the first facility under this banner in the capital of Lower Silesia. The retail park was built on a plot of approx. 15,000 sqm. An 800 sqm Biedronka grocery store is to open on the ground floor of the Moje Bielany residential complex, which is being developed by CeMat A/S at ul. Wólczyńska 121 in Warsaw’s Bielany district. Spring has very much sprung and everywhere is bathed in the first warm sunshine of the year. Even though, as I write this editorial, I have in the back of my mind the terrifying fo ... 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The online home of everything new and happening in Ireland’s greatest city important and cultural properties across Europe and recognise their excellence in hospitality which culminated in an awards ceremony at Sierakow Manor in Poland which is located in the heart of the Victorian Quarter received the bronze prize in the Historic City Hotel Award 2023 culture seekers and history lovers vote for their favourite nominated properties across 10 different categories “This award means so much to everyone here at The Metropole Hotel.” said general manager Roger Russell “It’s such a boost to the entire team to know that their hard work and dedication has been recognised by tourists and guests from all over Europe who voted for us in the Historic Hotels of Europe Awards “It is an honour to see the name of the hotel listed alongside the Grand Hotel et de Milan in Italy and Hotel Stefanie in Austria It’s a great way to end 2023 which has been a very successful year for the hotel.” Type and hit enter to display search result we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads may adversely affect certain features and functions Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes