Hlibny Dar or Khlibnyi Dar (Хлібний Дар) (=bread gift) is a popular Ukrainian vodka. It is the best-selling vodka in Ukraine and the fifth largest in the world’s sales statistics. In some countries, it is also sold under the name Harvest Day. Hlibny Dar is the flagship product of the Ukrainian Bayadera Group and their main export title, sold in more than 40 countries. It is produced at the National Alcohol Company’s plant in Cherkasy Province, Ukraine. In the Hlibny Dar Classic vodkla, different grain qualities (wheat, barley and rye) have been used as raw material. Hlibny Dar vodka is available widely in the Baltic countries; a 50 cl bottle costs about 7.50 € in Estonia.

The aroma is smooth and light-grained, with no pungent stench of ethanol at all. The taste is also very smooth, slightly sweet and grainy. The background has a hint of roasted malt, which is typical of vodkas made from rye. Anyway the roasted malt taste is not as strong as pure rye vodkas. The taste is astonishingly smooth.The manufacturer, Bayadera Group, says it has gone through a special filtration process where the filtration speed has been carefully controlled. There is also so much sweetness in the mouthfeel that glucose syrup or other sweetener may have been added a bit.

Hlibny Dar is a very pleasant vodka, nicely mellow, the ethanol burn is light and very short. Despite the efficient filtration, there is still a suitably grainy aroma left in the flavor. The use of different cereals may also have contributed to this; it has more aroma than vodka made from wheat alone. Hlibny Dar works very well on the dining table, the mellow and grainy taste does not control too much and hide the food’s own aromas. When it is also reasonably priced (around mid-class in Estonian stores) it is a highly recommended choice.

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