Chopin Rye Vodka

Chopin is a Polish single-ingredient vodka house, and the Rye expression is built entirely from rye harvested near the distillery. Rye is the key to its character: it carries more flavour through distillation than wheat or corn, lending a fuller body and a distinct peppery, herbal spice. The grain is distilled four times in traditional copper pot stills, with copper helping to scrub sulphurous notes while the slower pot runs keep more of the grain's personality than a stripped-out column spirit would. It is bottled at 40%, crystal clear.

The nose is gentle rye with a light citrus note and subtle spice, the palate is soft and full-bodied with a clear rye profile, a touch of sweetness and herbal spice, and the finish is long, clean and faintly peppery. A characterful vodka like this deserves a savoury, spirit-forward serve, so stir it into a Gibson: vodka and a little dry vermouth, stirred over ice and garnished with a cocktail onion. The rye's pepper and herb play against the onion's savoury bite, giving a Martini-style drink far more grip than a neutral vodka would.