Śliwowica Aged in Cabernet Cortis Barrels is a limited-edition Polish plum spirit bottled at 51.6% ABV, matured in a barrel previously used for red wine made from the Cabernet Cortis grape variety. This 0.05-litre miniature corresponds to the full-size 2023 vintage edition.
It is produced by Old Polish Vodka, a family-run spirits manufactory. The distillery is located in the small village of Lewkowo Stare in the Białowieża Forest region. The product is made from plum distillate. Śliwowica aged in "Cabernet Cortis" barrels 2023 is a limited batch of 306 bottles, matured for over 36 months in a barrel previously holding red wine of the Cabernet Cortis variety from a vineyard located in the Sandomierz region.
The character of a barrel is determined by its previous use. This barrel was used for the first time after the wine had been drawn off. That first contact with the oak, freshly emptied of wine, translates into the intensity of the wood's influence on the distillate. The spirit was released in only 306 bottles and bottled at its natural colour with a strength of 51.6% abv.
On the palate, plum meets oak and the wine-derived accent of the barrel. It is marked by a delicate, smooth taste with notes of fruit, oak and caramel, with notes of ripe plum on the finish. The producer of the "Aged in barrels" line describes this style as a śliwowica with a distinctive, deep flavour, with the natural, delicate sweetness of ripe fruit and a discernible oaky finish achieved through the barrel-maturation process.