Because Zubrówka is perceived as a vodka for connoisseurs, ordering one in a Polish bar elicits an impressed raised eyebrow every time. Extra points are scored for requesting a Tatanka - a very Polish cocktail comprising one part Zubrówka to two parts tart apple juice. The inherent sweetness of the vodka clicks effortlessly with the unsweetened apple tang. Consumed with a meal, it is best enjoyed neat and very cold. As the Polish tend to eat winter stews all year round, Zubrówka is essential to lighten up the main course and, at the same time, stimulate conversation. Partnered with smoked salmon or gravadlax, it cuts its way easily through the richness of the fish. Some vodkas need to be slammed down to alleviate their harsh hit, but Zubrówka's mellow flavour repays a meditative sipping style, which renders you gently relaxed rather than falling-down drunk. Metropolitan bartenders often mix the vodka into Martinis - in which case a slice of apple replaces the ubiquitous olive - and Polish cooks sometimes splash a shot into a dressing for a tomato salad, where its rounded flavour points up the freshness of the vegetable with surprising clarity.