Zubrowka / Wyborowa Polish vodkas

At one time, tracking down these bison grass-flavored and pure liquid-courage Polish vodkas was as easy as heading to the Chalet in Hyde Park. I still see them at parties occasionally, but the people that bring them are either abroad or unbotherable at the moment.

So - any hints on finding Zubrowka or Wyborowa in Chicago? Both are richly rewarding.



Having the former with a Bistonte cigaratte (Spain) is a double-buffalo delight I miss.

Have you tried Rich's Deli on Western Ave? They have a decent selection of Polish beer and spirits.

Rich's Deli
875 N Western Ave
(between Iowa St & Rice St)
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 235-5263

Another thought: Ola's Liquors. According to Centerstage, Ola's has Zubrowka, not sure if she'd sell it retail, though.

Ola's Liquors
947 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 384-7250‎

i LOVE Bison grass vodka, and spent several years trying to find it. The whole time it was right under my nose AT BINNY'S!!! They have it at the store on Grand. I had no problem getting it there for about $25 a bottle. I hope that people keep buying it, because now I'm paranoid that they'll stop selling it and I won't be able to find it again!

Good Luck!

Ah, one of the few vodkas I actually enjoy. I would also check any Polish grocery (for example, you can find them in my neighborhood at Gilmart) or liquor stores in Polish neighborhoods (Archer Liquors has it, too.) There's at least two brands that I know of: Bak's and Polmos. While Polmos has always been what was served in the family (and the brand I prefer), my interaction with Bak's was very positive. A few years (2005) ago I sent them an email asking why they had been banned in the US for awhile. The response said it had something to do with restrictions on c(o)umarin, which is present in bison grass/bison grass extract, but apparently FDA restrictions have been eased. But, not only did I receive a quick response, they sent me a free bottle of Zubrowka, a tee shirt (which I still have and, in a bizarre coincidence, am actually wearing right as I type this), and a set of martini glasses (every single one of which I manged to break over the years.) And it tasted fine, although I was a bit thrown by the exaggerated color. So try to find both, give em a shot, and see which you like better.

For an almost completed science project I recently purchased three liters of Wyborowa for $20.99 apiece at Prestige Liquors, corner of Kedzie and Montrose.

It was however, unflavored. But when I'm finished, I'm fairly certain it will no longer taste "as smooth and crisp as the day it first graced the Royal Court of Poland."

I have generally been finding Zubrowka at Sam's on Marcy (near North and Sheffield), though I seem to recall them mentioning something about an issue with the maker, so you might want to call.

Thanks to this thread, I developed a craving for some Zubrowka, so I checked out the Gilmart. The 750mL (fifth) of Polmos Zubrowka goes for $13.99 (this is the one I bought, so I'm completely certain of the price--it's the same one pictured in Santander's post). A 1.75 L bottle (more like a jug) was either $26.99 or $27.99. There was also a brand called Strombus (or something similar) for $12.99 a fifth, and a Stawski Bizonovka (another bison grass vodka) for $11.99 a fifth. No sign of Bak's Zubrowka, though.

I suspect Polish grocers in your area will have similar prices.

Gilmart
5050 S Archer Ave
Chicago, IL‎
(773) 585-5514

I happened to notice, as I was in the checkout line the other day, that the liquor aisle extends behind the cashiers at Andy's Deli. I saw, but didn't have enough cash, a nice selection of vodkas, including several kinds of zubrowka. What I'd love to go back and see if they carry is juniper vodka (jalowiec). (Don't forget to pick up some stellar sausage while you're there. What better accompaniment...?)

Andy's Deli
5442 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, Il 60630
773-631-7304

Mon.- Wed. 8:00am-7:00pm
Thu.-Sat. 8:00am-8:00pm
Sunday 9:00-5:00pm

Thanks to all - many more great options than I thought (and some education on the varieties of Zubrowka, to boot; a tasting is in order). My gratitude and buzz are yours.

Tasting? Did someone say a tasting? Hmmm. Now THAT'S what I call a fine idea!

Gypsy Boy wrote:Tasting? Did someone say a tasting? Hmmm. Now THAT'S what I can a fine idea!

I was thinking the same thing actually. Sounds like the makings of an event!

Santander, the other day, I planned to do some recon on foot of the places I recommended as well as some other Polish liquor stores in my area and report back. I only had time, though, to either walk my dog or do Zubrowka recon. The dog won out. I still plan to get out and research soon, and if I do, I'll report back.