Episode 35: Monopolowa Vodka

Episode 35 features Vodka Monopolowa by J.A. Baczewski. A potato vodka, it's award winning and my go-to for unflavored vodkas. Available in all common commercially available sizes, for this episode I featured a 1 liter bottle that retails for $20. It's 40% ABV, or 80 proof.Enjoy this episode with Monopolowa neat or on the rocks, mix it in a cocktail if you prefer!Monopolowa has two official websites, depending upon if it's the parent brand of US vodka brand: https://monopolowa.com/en/ or http://monopolowa.at/Brief Historical Timeline:1782 - Original distillery is founded1810 - Leopold Maksymilian Baczewski opens a distillery on the outskirts of Lviv, in modern day Ukraine1834 - Coffey stills, or two column stills, are installed and produce superior products1856 - Józef Adam (J.A.) Baczewski joins the family business and begins to upgrade and innovate, packaging export products in clear glass decanters1876 - J.A. Baczewski receives the honor of "Purveyor to the Imperial Royal Court" and display this and the Imperial Eagle Emblem on their bottles1911 - J.A. Baczewski dies, his sons Leopold and Henryk take over1920s - The business expands with new generations of Baczewski's joining the family business1930s - Baczewski products are available on two prestigious Polish transatlantic ocean lines1930s - Offices opened in Paris, Prague, and Vienna, and they begin using airplanes for routine deliveries 1939 - Lviv distillery is bombed by the Germans during WWII1940 - Adam and Stefan Baczewski, current owners, are killed by the SovietsPost WWII - Relative, Eduard Gessler acquires the J.A. Baczewski mark and merges it with his own distilling business to create Altvater Gessler - J.A. Baczewski1958 - Monopolowa is launched and introduced to the United States1980 - A US subsidiary is formed2011 - J.A. Baczewski products are imported to Poland, returning the famous products to their homelandKey Cocktails:It's unflavored vodka, so Monopolowa goes great with anything! Try it neat, or on the rocks, but avoid freezing it.References:Wikipedia article on MonopolowaWikipedia article on J.A. BaczewskiWikipedia article on GaliciaWikipedia article on the Kingdom of Galicia and LodomeriaWikipedia article on the Coffey StillYouTube Video on J.A. Baczewski history&nbsp;Altvater Gessler - J.A. Baczewski websiteProof66.com article referencing "Monopoly"Alcademics Blog Post on Potato VodkaContact Information:Official show website is: <a href="https://www.liquorandliqueurconnoisseur.com/"...