The Ukrainian Perepelka (“quail”) vodka is produced by the National Vodka Company, which is part of the Bayadere Group, Ukraine’s largest alcohol producer. The distillery had a complete renovation in 2005, modernizing the whole production line and purchasing new equipment from Italy and France. The distillery is located in the Cherkasy region, which is said to have the largest reserves of fresh and mineral water in Ukraine.

The characteristic of Perepelka is the use of quail eggs in the process of cleaning vodka. Quail egg protein contains a protein that is an effective natural absorbent, a substance that binds other substances to itself. An extract made from dried apples has been added to the Karpatskaya “Carpathian” to give it a fresh and fruity hue. Carpathian is the same price as other Perepelka vodkas, a 50 cl bottle costs about 7 €.

The aroma is similar to the classic Perelka and mostly other vodkas made from wheat. When you can look for it, there is something a little fruity nuance behind the ethanol vapors. The taste is slightly grainy, slightly sweet and quite sharp. The aftertaste has very light fruitiness, but the aroma of the apple is not felt at any point. Comparing Carpathian and Domashnyaya “seasoned with oatmeal”, it is almost impossible to find any differences. Carpathian is a little fresher, whereas Domashnyaya is a bit sweeter. However, the differences are very small, so it is the same which bottle to choose from the store.

Carpathian is a fairly traditional Ukrainian vodka. Slightly grainy, sharp, slightly sweet. Not any smooth or original, as might be expected from the marketing info about the use of quail eggs. The affordable price is just right level to the taste and  quality.

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