A brand of Polish vodka that was established in 1823, Wyborowa translates to ‘selected’. It was popular domestically and eventually began to be introduced to the European market in 1873. In 1927, Wyborowa became the first vodka brand to be an international trademark and by the 1950s and 60s, Wyborowa constituted over 60% of the total volume of vodka exported to the United Kingdom
The brand went from the strength to strength until a period of economic transition in the late 1980s and early 90s that affected many within the industry, as well as the brand’s Poznan distillery, which was close to filing for bankruptcy protection. However, Pernod Ricard recognised an opportunity due to the large international popularity of Wyborowa and purchased it in 1999.
Fun Fact: The unique bottle shape was designed by architect Frank Gehry, of The Guggenheim fame.