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Liquor Review: Sobieski

Published on September 30th, 2008 in Liquors of the Month, Vodka by Hunter

Sobieski We BoozeBashers are always on the lookout for good spirits that are easy on the wallet, so I dug deeply into my alcohol-depleted memory banks and recalled a delicious vodka I had once consumed while on a road trip to Chicago with college buddies. I remember stumbling across a half-gallon of vodka called Sobieski in Bobak’s Sausage Company (a Polish grocery store) that was on sale for $15. I was elated to find any kind of liquor in a grocery store and even more excited to find this brand for such an affordable price. I was later blown away by the taste of Sobieski that night. After coming all the way home, I was shocked at how difficult it was to find this vodka. A few years later, I found myself back in Chicago on business, and I was determined to get back to Bobak’s to get my hands on more Sobieski. Unfortunately, my journey there failed to produce this vodka. The trek from my Hilton Suite to Bobak’s began with a naked man on my elevator ride down and ended on a subway train around midnight when a particularly scary man progressed from talking to himself to random groans and eerie looks in my direction. I decided to turn back before the train made it to my ultimate destination. I thought I might never see Sobieski again, but to my delight, I noticed it beaming back at me one day from a shelf in a local liquor store! I was a relatively inexperienced drinker the last time I consumed Sobieski, and wondered if would I still like it? How would it fare in a BoozeBasher tasting? Read on to see.

Sobieski is a Polish vodka named after King Jan III Sobieski and is actually owned by the Belvedere Company of France. Poland claims to be the birthplace of vodka though the true origin of the spirit is debated. The people at Sobieski renounce gimmicky trends like making vodka from grapes or distilling it many extra times. Sobieski is made from Dankowski rye that is harvested from the Mazowse fields of Poland, and water from the Oligocene springs is used to create “one of the smoothest and purest vodkas in the world.” That certainly sounds appealing to me.

Sobieski smells and tastes like vodka should. The scent yields a subtle alcohol smell with no noticeable fruity or sweet bouquets. Similarly, the taste over ice doesn’t bring any cheap thrills. There is nothing at all fancy about Sobieski’s flavor. There is really no noticeable infused taste, but the grain gives a subtle yet deep and almost dark flavor to the vodka. The incredible smoothness of the vodka almost entirely hides this taste until the exhale after sipping. There is really no burn at all. Sobieski finishes dry and succinctly. It is fantastic! I have tasted many “ultra-premium” vodkas, but Sobieski ranks among the tops for smoothness and pure enjoyability. This vodka is so smooth and easy to drink on the rocks that it could prove dangerous in the wrong hands. Drinking Sobieski with a little Sprite is equally enjoyable. Although it lacks serious flavor to compliment the soda, it blends almost completely away. If you concentrate, you can still pick up on a little bit of the grain taste, and you will still notice the dry finish. Sobieski is the perfect vodka to slip extra booze in the drink of someone who *gasp* doesn’t like the taste of alcohol. When mixed, this spirit goes from dangerous to deadly. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Naked Elevator Man pounded down a dozen of these drinks. It would be frighteningly easy to do, and it might just make you comfortable with walking around naked in public.

After drinking a good bit of Sobieski, I relished a state of noticeable drunkenness. It was a functioning yet carefree state that was quite pleasurable. It brought with the drunk a little kick of energy that would make this a great beverage to start a big night out on the town. Just be careful not to lose count unless you don’t care to remain clothed. The next morning wasn’t incredibly friendly. I had noticeable cotton mouth, and my head was pounding in a very unkind fashion. Sobieski is a spirit that should be consumed in excess primarily on the weekends. I don’t think I would have enjoyed working too much after a night with this stuff.

You can get your hands on a 750ml bottle of Sobieski for around $12 or so, making it an utter steal. It mixes extremely well, and the smooth drinking experience rivals that of vodka that costs more than double the price. You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a bottle anymore now that they have expanded their US market a bit. If you are like me and enjoy the taste of good vodka, buy a couple bottles and simply enjoy every drop neat or over ice. You will be hard-pressed to find any vodka this good anywhere near its price range.

Sipability – 7.5

September 08 Mixability – 7.5