This Polish vodka takes home the top prize at the inaugural spirits competition.
Photo illustration: Brad Japhe
The Asia Spirits Ratings is the latest annual judging to enter the crowded field of booze competitions. It seeks to stand out by leveraging a panel of experts from all tiers of the industry. This includes independent retailers, distributors, and importers in addition to writers and tastemakers. Furthermore, entries are evaluated not just on taste, but also on value, quality and presentation; the full package. According to the organizers of the event, these are the criteria that matter most to trade and retail buyers in the world’s largest liquor market.
The results from the inaugural ASR were released earlier this season. Last week we revealed the top-scoring bottle from the heavily-contested realm of whiskey. Today it’s time for a closer look at what these judges deemed the best vodka on shelves today: U’Luvka Vodka.
Distilled at the historic Zielona Góra Distillery outside of Warsaw, Poland – one of the oldest vodka-making operations in a country closely associated with the category – this elevated expression received an exceptional 95 out of 100 points. It’s crafted using a blend of native-grown rye, wheat, and barley. The exacting combination of these quality grains, along with the gentle way in which they’re run through the stills at Zielona Góra result in an 80-proof spirit that’s both crisp and creamy, yielding a subtle cereal sweetness in its smooth finish. Indeed, this is that rare sort of vodka that can be enjoyed neat at room temperature.
As it opens up in the glass, the liquid relinquishes vanilla and sage aromatics. Repeated sips suggest a nuttiness in texture – as well as anise tonalities – which weren’t readily apparent at first exposure. If you buy into the marketing of the product, this unusual degree of complexity comes courtesy of a centuries-old recipe, initially developed by a legendary alchemist for the Polish Royal Court. Even if you don’t believe the lore, it’s hard to deny the smooth-sipping alchemy as evidenced in each swig.
Although it’s been available Stateside for more than a decade, the liquid remains somewhat obscure to American drinkers (it’s pronounced “you-love-ka,” in case you were wondering). That’s because it holds very narrow distribution here and wears a hefty price tag which can be a tough sell in a category that’s long been derided as tasteless, neutral grain spirit. Right now, one prominent online retailer is offering it at $200.
Once you see it in person, however, it’s hard to forget. The artfully-rendered glass sits tall and lanky in an undulating globule. Missing is any sort of paper labeling, allowing the clear liquid to be presented unobstructed and without much indication as to the treasure inside. It certainly is a conversation piece on a backbar – if you can find space for it, that is. At over a foot tall, the bottle is tricky to fit in between shelves.
The makers of U’Luvka would position this quirk as a feature rather than a flaw, since, after all, it ought to be sitting on the very top shelf of any bar. The results at this year’s Asia Spirits Ratings validate that reasoning. Whether or not Asian markets are ready to receive a sipping vodka with a triple digit price tag remains to be seen.
Poland, Warsaw, Old town, glasses of vodka. (Photo by: Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradjaphe/2025/12/07/the-worlds-best-vodka-according-to-the-2025-asia-spirits-ratings/
