Dandy vodkas include a native son, star power

Ross Werland

Published June 11, 2006

Premium vodkas seem to hit the market as often as fad diets nowadays, but vodka is one of the Guy Page's favorite food groups, so this is good. Notable recent entries on the regional scene are DiVine Vodka, a small-batch Midwesterner hailing from the Round Barn Winery in Baroda, Mich., and Snow Queen, coming from Kazakhstan and supposedly a regular down the gullets of Mick Jagger, Prince Charles' boys and dear, dear Scarlett Johansson.

We ran these over our palates along with a vodka that bills itself as one of Poland's favorites, Debowa Polska, which we had to try just because of its compelling look. It offers a couple wooden versions of its bottle, one long and cylindrical and encased in oak. The other is like a Chianti bottle, partially covered in oak.

Now for the taste.

Our panel of two men and two women pretty much sipped to a draw, with the guys picking the DiVine as their favorite and the women choosing the Debowa. One of the guys chose Debowa as his close second, and the other three tasters voted for Snow Queen as a warm, very pleasant No. 2.

Debowa is a special case among vodkas, because it is flavored with black elderflower and oak; there's actually a long sliver of oak in the bottle, giving it a taste reminiscent of aquavit.

In the end, all three marry well with added flavors. The Guy Page's first hurdle for vodka--does one martini's worth cause a headache?--was a definite no among the three.

Debowa (about $25) is available at Binny's, Sam's, some Jewel-Osco stores and most any self-respecting Polish store that sells liquor. Delivery of the smooth, smooth Snow Queen, according to a spokesman for Sam's, has been held up but is expected at any moment. It will sell for about $24 a fifth and already is available in some upscale bars. As for clear, warm DiVine, well, until Round Barn scores a distributor in Chicago, you'll have to take a drive to its Union Pier Tasting Room, 9185 Union Pier Rd., Union Pier, Mich., (269-469-6885) about 80 minutes from the Loop. It's $32.95 per fifth. And the Guy Page gives it a cheer as a worthy new native son. This one could be a star.