Żubrówka

Żubrówka, also known as Bison Grass Vodka, is an iconic Polish vodka with a history dating back to the 15th century, when the local nobility began macerating alcohol with the beautifully aromatic bison grass (Hierochloe odorata). This grass comes from the Bialowieża Forest, one of the last primeval forests in Europe and the historic home of the European bison.

The complex production process begins with the selection of high-quality rye spirit, which is then infused with a macerate made from grass harvested by hand in the Bialowieża Forest. The herbal aroma is released during the drying of the grass, followed by a two-stage maceration (water and alcohol) and filtration of the resulting extract. This takes several days, followed by mixing the macerate with distillate and water – water from deep sources, which ensures stable quality and purity. Each bottle then contains a hand-placed stalk of Żubrówka grass as a mark of authenticity.

The brand has been on the market since 1928, when Polmos Białystok was the first to adapt the production process to mass production – the recipe was stabilised and the Żubrówka brand became widely available for export. The product gained cult status as a symbol of Polish heritage, especially after 2003, when it was granted official designation of origin (AOC) following Poland's entry into the EU. Polmos has been an independent company since 1991 and was taken over by Roust International/CEDC in 2013. and in 2022, the Żubrówka brand was acquired by the Polish Maspex Group.

Today, Żubrówka is the third or fourth best-selling vodka in the world (after Smirnoff and Absolut), available in more than 80 countries. The brand has won countless awards, including gold medals at the Monde Selection, International Spirits Challenge and other world competitions since the 1960s.

The brand's philosophy is based on combining natural heritage with contemporary quality requirements. The freshness of Żubrówka grass, the purity of the ingredients, local raw materials and attention to every detail – this is the essence of Żubrówka. The brand is also innovating: it has expanded its portfolio with variants such as Żubrówka Biała (pure, six times distilled), Żubrówka Czarna (premium, wood-filtered), and trendy variants such as Fresh Żu (e.g. apple, lime, mint). In 2024–2025, the brand modernised its label design under the slogan “Serve the wild. Same heart, different looks”.