For those who like vodka a trip to Poland offers an opportunity to try some of the hundreds of types on offer and our recent fam trip to Warsaw and Krakow was no exception, thanks to the help and knowledge of bar staff working in Marriott hotels there.

For those who like their drinks fruity and sweet the distillers Soplica produce a range of ten flavoured variants (Nalewki), all at ABV 30% and comprising the very popular cherry along with raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, plum, mirabelle, blueberry, quince, walnut and hazelnut. These probably go down, like all alcopops, rather too easily, especially when straight out of the fridge, and it is all too easy to over-indulge. Also bitter-sweet and fruity and with an ABV of 36% is the herb and orange flavoured Wodka Zoladkowa Gorzka which has won many awards and is valued as a digestif, and, flavoured with bison grass that gives a vanilla flavour is Zubrowka (Bison Grass Vodka in the UK) at 40% ABV and often mixed with apple juice to produce a longer drink.

Of the “straight” unflavoured premium rye based vodkas we tried, all straight out of the freezer, our personal easy winner was Potocki (pron. Potoski), a lovely creamy and nutty spirit at 40% ABV that sells for around £30 a bottle in the UK and is, for our money, worth every penny. Almost as good but without the creaminess were Belvedere and Chopin, both at 40% ABV and the latter named after Poland’s best known composer.