Introduction to Chopin Vodka
Chopin vodka is one of the handful of brands which formed a part of the vodka wave that hit the US market in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. The United States was always high on their list. As the company began selling in Poland in 1993 and soon after that, in 1997, made a move to the Americas. The United States was always high on their list because it was the largest consumer of vodka at the time.
For most of its time in the US, Chopin tried to compete with the expensive luxury brands of the spirit. Its argument for the claim to the higher price tag was that their development process is tightly controlled and involves unique ingredients.
While the company does not waste any opportunity to tout the superiority of their water and the purity of their yeast, rye, and wheat, the true focus is on the potatoes. The potato is the real power behind the throne in Chopin vodka. Namely, Chopin makes use of a particular Polish potato called the Stobrawa potato, which is said to have double the starch of a regular potato. This extra starch gives the vodka some additional smoothness and sweetness.
Whether a marketing ploy or true superiority in ingredients, Chopin’s buyers are more loyal than usual. During the recession in the US, it is said that, as opposed to other high-end vodka brands, the company did not lower their prices and still maintained steady sales. In recent years, though, they have begun to reduce prices.
Chopin Vodka Prices
Polmos, the company that produces Chopin, does not have many offerings. They compete in the same niche as Ketel One Vodka in this regard, as they rarely come out with new flavors and prefer to be known for producing a small number of items very well.
| Type | Size | Price | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chopin Potato Vodka | 750ml | $23.99 – $26.99 | 80 |
| 1L | $25.99 – $29.99 | 80 | |
| 1.75L | $46.99 – $49.99 | 80 | |
| Chopin Rye Vodka | 750ml | $23.99 – $26.99 | 70 |
| Chopin Wheat Vodka | 750ml | $23.99 – $26.99 | 70 |
| Dorda Double Chocolate Liqueur | 750ml | $23.99 – $26.99 | 36 |
| Dorda Sea Salt Caramel Liqueur | 750ml | $23.99 – $26.99 | 36 |
It would seem that the management at Chopin is also aware of the similarities. Their price is in step with that of Ketel One. For instance, a 750 ml bottle of the Polish product will cost you about the same as the equal amount of Holland’s Ketel One, at around $25.00. This is far less than the $30.00+ for the 750 ml bottles charged by the most expensive brands these days – Ciroc, Belvedere, and Grey Goose, for example.
Chopin Rye and Wheat
The push to advertise the use of the Stobrawa potato in producing this alcohol is strong. The company began shooting advertising photographs frequently featuring stony-faced farmers in their fields of potatoes. Some photos were just a bottle of the vodka in a basket of potatoes.
It may come as a surprise, then, that the company also offers rye and wheat vodkas. These products actually cost the same as the Chopin potato vodka.
The rye and wheat vodkas are not advertised as strongly as the potato variant. They also do not win as many competitions for taste. However, they do come in a bottle and box with different colors from that of the standard offering, which probably means that they are geared toward long-time Chopin vodka loyalists who are looking for new flavors or fancy bottles to add to their collections.
Dorda Double Chocolate Liqueur and Caramel
While the inclusion of this brand may leave some wondering what it has to do with Chopin, Dorda is actually the surname of the owner of Polmos, Tad Dorda.
The double chocolate liqueur is made of melted chocolate mixed with a small quantity of Chopin rye vodka. The drink only contains about 18% alcohol by volume. Nevertheless, it has a rich chocolate taste and actually offers something the market needs, as there are few chocolate vodkas of note being sold.
Dorda caramel is a recent addition that continues the same line of thick liqueurs offered by Dorda. This variant is practically the same as Dorda Chocolate, except that it tastes like caramel. Otherwise, it has the same amount of alcohol by volume and the same thicker consistency.
You can usually find these products for a slightly lower price than the plain vodka, at around $22.00 for the fifth.
Is Chopin Vodka Really As Smooth as People Say?
Chopin Vodka distinguishes itself in the popular mind for being more “smooth” than other vodkas, but is this really true?
At least in the case of the potato vodka, the ingredients used seem to make the drink more comfortable to consume without the need to mix it in elaborate cocktails. It has won several awards, and it is sometimes considered to be the potato vodka with the most awards for taste.
As another piece of anecdotal support for the power of the Stobrawa, some entrepreneurs were able to start raising some of the potatoes in Colorado for the production of the Woody Creek vodka brand. This high-end vodka reportedly has much of the same excellent taste as you would find in the Chopin.
Common Recipes: What to Mix With Chopin Vodka
While all of the appletinis, Black Russians, and Moscow Mules are fine drinks, they have trouble competing with the taste of real chocolate. The addition of Dorda Double Chocolate liqueur, which is made with actual chocolate, to the Chopin portfolio, opens a lot of options for the drink. Here are some suggestions for getting the most out of this tasty combination:
Dorda and Coffee
While you can just put Dorda into regular coffee to sweeten it, there is nothing like cold ice to make the sensation of drinking alcohol all the stronger. This is why I prefer to have my cocktails cold. Mix the following ingredients using a shaker:
- Ice
- Three parks Dorda Double Chocolate Liqueur
- One part espresso
- One part almond liqueur
Serve the resulting liquid in a glass and top it off with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles or coconut shavings, depending on your taste.
Dorda Ice Cream
Chocolate syrup has been used to flavor ice cream from the very beginning. You can use Dorda to flavor your sweet treats more authentically, though, as Dorda is made from actual melted chocolate which does not harden at room temperature due to the alcohol content.
For a simple idea, just take two scoops of ice cream and pour Dorda chocolate liqueur over them until they are covered. If the Dorda has been refrigerated, the ice cream will keep its consistency longer than if vodka at room temperature is used in this recipe.