As you can tell by the title, I've already done a post about a Polish honey liqueur. Quite recently, in fact--back on July 13, 2024, about Krupnik. I do try to sample a wide range of edibles and drinkables, including of things I probably won't enjoy, based on their type or similarity to things I dislike. You'll actually be reading about one of these liquor risks in about a month or two. But, sometimes, such as when I'm buying a whole bottle of booze which costs $15 or $20 or more, I don't take a chance, and will try something safer. Like today, which is about Nalewka Dziadka, from Poland.
I couldn't find anything about the Polish maker of this drink. It's possible that it's just a brand of the listed American importer, the Myssura Trading Company, out of Newark, NJ. All I can say is that the label says it's a product of Poland. There's also next to nothing about that import company. I couldn't locate an official company website. Alternate business websites noted that Myssura's key principal is a Jerry Myssura, and the founding date was 1998. The business specializes in importing wines, liquors, and beers from Poland and Eastern Europe. Some of its imported brands include Bimber Vodka, Storme Vodka, Gorzka Korzenna Vodka, Gazka beer, Perla Lubelska beer, and Nalewka Dabuni wines. Reportedly the company's annual revenue is between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000, and it has between 5-9 employees. (This latter number seems low, but whatever.) Finally, the name Nalewka Dziadka means "Grandpa's tincture," or "Grandpa's liqueur" in Polish.
I was able to learn a bit about Nalewka itself. Nalewka is a traditional Polish alcoholic beverage. It's similar to a medicinal tincture, or, plants or animal products dissolved in alcohol. In Nalewka's case, its typical various ingredients are infused into vodka or a similar neutral spirit. Sugar, fruit (lemon, blackberry, apricot, cherries), spices and roots (ginger, anise, and juniper), and honey are common additives. The result is usually quite potent, being around 40-45% alcohol, but can range all the way to a staggering 75%. There are Russian and Ukrainian variants, but these are made by putting fruit, water, and sugar into a sealed container, and letting it ferment. What results is a weaker solution, usually less than 20% alcohol. The earliest known reference to Polish Nalewka is a 1543 book by Stefan Falimierz called "On Herbs and Their Potency." (Although tincture drinks worldwide date back at least to the time of Hippocrates, or about 2300-2400 years ago.) For the next several hundred years Nalewka was largely made by Polish nobles, using closely guarded secret family recipes.
Nalewka Dziadka honey liqueur: It had a light yellow color, and a slight honey-ish odor. It didn't taste particularly boozy--it was almost a sipping drink, despite being 21% alcohol. The overall taste was good. It had a sweet, honey-like flavor. It kind of reminded me of some meads I've had, which are typically much lower in alcohol content. So, my final opinion was that it was pretty good. It was kind of a light version of Krupnik, or Barenjager. Not as good as those, but more than decent. So I guess if you want a slightly lighter form of a honey liqueur, this is a good candidate. If you want the harder, more intense ones, stick with Krupnik or Barenjager.
Since my Nalewka was only 21% alcohol, some purists might maintain that it doesn't count as a "true," traditional Polish Nalewka, which are much stronger. But, I can't say I care very much about this distinction--this drink was pretty good, even if it was milder than the traditional kind. It was listed as a dessert drink, or I guess a digestif--perhaps that explains its milder flavor and booze content. After re-checking my post on Krupnik, I saw that one is technically a Nalewka as well. So if you're a "Nalewka strict constructionist," (if that's a thing, and I hope it is), stick with the Krupnik. If you don't really care, and want a lighter form of a Polish honey liqueur, go with the Nalewka Dziadka.
No comments:
Post a Comment