Chopin Potato Vodka has been named Supreme Champion at the 2025 International Spirits Challenge — the most prestigious blind-tasted spirits competition in the world, and the first time a vodka has taken the overall Supreme Champion title in seven years.
The Details
Chopin's flagship Potato Vodka, produced at the Krzesk distillery from Stobrawa potatoes harvested in September, scored 98.4 out of 100 in the final judging round — the highest score awarded to any spirit across all categories in this year's competition. The panel of 34 judges, tasting blind, described the liquid as "a benchmark expression of what potato vodka can achieve at its absolute apex."
Tasting notes from the judging panel cited "extraordinary creaminess, a silky mouthfeel that few spirits of any category can match, and a finish of remarkable length and complexity — vanilla, white chocolate, and a clean mineral fade that persists for well over a minute."
"This is the result of thirty years of refusing to compromise," said Tadeusz Dorda, Chopin's founder and still active chairman. "We have never changed the potato. We have never changed the water. We have never changed the distillation process. We simply do the same thing, very carefully, every single year."
The Supreme Champion award was presented at a ceremony in London on 18 December. Chopin beat the runner-up — a Japanese single-malt whisky from the Chichibu distillery — by 0.6 points.
Industry Context
The ISC Supreme Champion award carries significant commercial weight. Previous winners have consistently reported double-digit export growth in the twelve months following the announcement, driven by increased retailer interest and media coverage. For Chopin specifically, the award arrives at a moment when US demand for premium Polish vodka is already at an all-time high, following the brand's expanded distribution deal with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, finalised in October.
"A Supreme Champion win changes conversations at the buyer level," said spirits industry analyst Claire Fontaine of IWSR. "It creates an objective, credible anchor for premium pricing that no amount of advertising spend can replicate."
What's Next
Chopin has announced a limited Supreme Champion commemorative bottling — 5,000 bottles of a special release aged briefly in new Polish oak for 60 days, priced at $95. The standard Chopin Potato Vodka will carry ISC Supreme Champion neck tags through the 2026 calendar year. US retail availability is expected to improve significantly as the brand renegotiates shelf space off the back of the award.
