Debowa Wódka Gaśnica Pragnienia Feuerlöscher

Debowa Wodka is made by the Debowa Polska distillery in Siedlec, in the west of Poland, a family business started by brothers Jerzy and Leszek Markiewicz in 1982. The name translates as Polish oak, a nod to the native oak the brand builds its identity around. The vodka is made from grain and crystal-clear water, distilled several times, then filtered through charcoal, which pulls out fusel oils and impurities to leave a cleaner spirit. The signature touch is a piece of oak wood dropped into each bottle, which slowly gives the vodka a gentle, tannic woody note that sets it apart from plain grain vodkas.

The nose is soft and cereal-led. The palate is mild and delicately tart with a balanced body and clear notes of wood, and the finish is long. That oak character is the thing to lean on, so sip it neat from the freezer in a small chilled glass and let the wood note surface as it warms slightly. If you prefer a longer drink, build it over a large ice cube with a splash of apple juice, where the light tannin and gentle wood echo cleanly. The novelty fire-extinguisher bottle is a talking point in its own right.