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| Manufacturer | Szczecińska Fabryka Wódek "Starka" |
|---|---|
| Origin | Poland,Lithuania,Belarus |
| Introduced | 15th century |
| Alcohol by volume | 40 - 50% |
| Variants | Starka from 3 to 50 years oldHerbal Starka |
| Website | www |
Starka is a type ofdistilled alcoholic beverage made fromfermentedryemash. Traditionally Starka is made from natural (up to 2distillations, no rectification) rye spirit and aged in oak barrels with small additions oflinden-tree and apple-tree leaves. The methods of production are similar to those used in makingrye whisky. Sold in various grades, the most notable difference between them is the length of the aging period, varying from 3 to over 50 years,[1] and the natural colour which is obtained from the reaction between the alcohol and the oak barrel, not from the additives.
Starka was known in Poland and Lithuania at least since the 15th century, later in thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and by the 17th century became one of the favourite drinks of thenobility of the Commonwealth andSarmatist culture. Tradition had it that at a child's birth, the father of the house poured large amounts of home-made spirits (approximately 75 proof) into an emptyoakbarrel, previously used to store wine (usually imported fromHungary at that time and hence calledWęgrzyn, orHungarian). The barrel was then sealed withbeeswax and buried, only to be dug out at the child'swedding. The name itself stems from this process of aging and in 15th centuryPolish meant both the vodka type and an old woman. Alternatively the name is derived from theLithuanian word "Starkus",[2][unreliable source?] as production of Starka is associated with birth.
In late 19th century various companies (mostly inImperial Russia andAustria-Hungary) slightly simplified the production process and adopted it to the needs of mass production by theLwów-basedBaczewski company. After the end ofWorld War I, which put an end to foreign rule over former parts of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, starka remained one of the most popular spirits in both countries. AfterWorld War II whenLithuania was inside theSoviet Union, starka production there was not stopped and was produced in "Vilniaus degtinė" and "Stumbras" (Kaunas) factories. In Poland, all of the spirit producers were nationalized, but the production of starka continued, mostly as a high-pricedexport good.
Currently, Szczecińska Fabryka Wódek "Starka" (formerPolmos Szczecin) is the only company to produce Starka in Poland, and they offer it in all age classes, from 3 to 50 years old but the oldest Starkas date back to 1947. All Starkas produced by Szczecińska Fabryka Wódek "Starka" contain 40% - 50% alcohol by volume.[3] There is also a number of other companies (most notably inLithuania,Bulgaria,Kazakhstan,Russia,Latvia andUnited States) that produce vodkas styled after the starka (produced mostly from a mixture ofrectified spirit and herbaltinctures).
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