The UK's favourite spirit set to be honoured with the opening of the first Polish Vodka Museum in Warsaw.
As the original home of vodka, Poland's new Vodka Museum will open its doors to visitors in spring 2018.
Launched by the Polish Vodka Association, the museum is already whetting the appetite of British vodka enthusiasts and tourists alike, with 86% of British travellers to the country stating they would like to visit the new attraction.
The new museum will reflect Poland's proud heritage as the original home of vodka. It is set within the city's historical Rectification Plant in the heart of the regenerated Praga-Północ district. Fittingly the museum is housed in the Warsaw Vodka Factory 'Koneser', a complex of neo-Gothic buildings which was once home to iconic flagship Polish vodka brands Luksusowa and Wyborowa.
Part funded by the European Union, the museum will boast five thematic exhibition rooms which will take visitors through the origins of Polish vodka and its distillation process as well as local cultures and customs associated with the spirit.
Visitors will also be treated to vodka tasting sessions during which participants will be taught how to recognise the specific flavours of Polish vodka. Only traditional Polish raw materials can be used which include; rye, wheat, barley, oats, triticale or potatoes, all of which give Polish vodka its unique taste.
The exhibition also details how the heritage and future of Polish vodka is protected by the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). This legislation stipulates all stages of vodka production (apart from bottling) must take place in Poland under the watchful eye of an experienced distiller, ensuring the quality and taste of Polish vodka preserved.
Speaking about the upcoming launch Andrzej Szumowski, President of the Polish Vodka Association and the initiator and patron of the museum said; "We are very excited to share our love and passion for Polish vodka with the world and I am confident British tourists in particular, will enjoy learning more about the spirit's Polish origin and heritage as well as its unique and superior taste.
"For Poles, we are so proud of our vodka, it is the original and we believe the best vodka in the world. We are as proud of our national drink as the Scots are of whisky and the French of cognac. However, unlike cognac and whisky many people around the world don't know about the history of vodka and where it originates from – many people think vodka is originally from Russia. By launching the Polish Vodka Museum, we hope to change this to ensure everyone knows more about vodka and what makes Polish vodka in particular so special."
Although the new museum doesn't open until spring 2018 it is already proving popular, with 80% of British travellers who visited Warsaw in summer 2017 stating they would rank the Polish Vodka Museum among the top 10 attractions in Warsaw on TripAdvisor.com. According to the Kantar TNS survey conducted on behalf of the Polish Vodka Foundation, more than 500 tourists from Poland, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, would rank the Polish Vodka Museum among Warsaw's top must-see attractions.
The museum will also include two restaurants specialising in Polish flavours. WuWu 24/7 bistro will offer the best Polish spirits and snacks and restaurant ZONI, with its extraordinary interior design is set to provide a rich menu focusing on local cuisine, Polish liquors and fine wines.