Auction offers rare chance to own historic Polish distillery
A rare opportunity to own one of Poland’s oldest distilleries has emerged, as the historic home of aged rye vodka Starka has been put up for auction.
SFW Starka, a distillery with roots stretching back more than five centuries, is being offered to bidders through a court-approved tender process.
Located in Szczecin, Poland, a historic port city sometimes called the ‘Paris of the north’, the distillery sits on a site that is more than 180 years old. However, following significant investment in the 2010s, the site combines updated capabilities with historic infrastructure and boasts a fully operational and modernised production facility.
The sale of the distillery via auction will include the brand, intellectual property, production facilities, and ageing inventory – effectively a turnkey platform ready for global expansion.
Starka Distillery spokesperson David Lesperance said: “After the collapse of communism, Starka was privatised, and then suffered a period of mismanagement. That is ultimately why we stepped in, as it felt deeply personal – it was a way for my wife to reconnect with the land of her birth and preserve an important part of Polish identity for future generations. We recognised that what existed here was far too important, and far too rare, to be lost. Starka is not just another spirits brand; it is a living piece of Polish cultural and industrial history.
“Opportunities of this calibre come to market perhaps once in a generation. You cannot recreate 35-year-old inventory, you cannot manufacture authenticity, and you cannot replicate this level of provenance through marketing – to have this genuine global white space opportunity is extraordinarily uncommon. What we are looking for is not simply investors, but custodians.”
Queen of vodkas
The sale comes at a time when demand for premium, aged spirits continues to grow worldwide, and at the centre of the deal is Starka itself, a spirit often described as the ‘queen of vodkas’.
Unlike conventional clear vodkas, Starka is an amber-hued, oak-aged rye spirit that occupies a unique space between vodka and whisky.
However, Starka’s distinct production process, which historically involves rye distillate, botanical infusions like apple or linden leaves, and extended oak maturation, creates a flavour that differs markedly from both vodka and whisky, positioning it as a bridge between categories at a time when consumers are increasingly exploring new and unconventional spirits.
Produced using a centuries-old recipe, it is matured in oak barrels for anywhere between 10 and more than 50 years, resulting in a complex flavour profile defined by earthy richness, subtle fruit notes, and layered wood character.
The product’s quality has been validated through blind tastings and international competitions, where it has earned medals and praise from industry experts for its balance of herbal aromatics and deep oak complexity.
A turnkey business with tourism potential
In addition to production, the property offers considerable development potential, with portions of the site suitable for commercial or residential use, which could open the door to distillery tourism – an increasingly popular segment in the global spirits market.
At its peak, the distillery welcomed more than 10,000 visitors per year.
Connectivity is another advantage of the distillery’s location, as the site lies just 260 metres from a station on a new high-speed rail line linking Szczecin with Berlin, Warsaw, and other major European cities, enhancing its potential as both a production hub and visitor destination.
For investors, the offering represents more than just a distillery. It is a chance to acquire a fully realised heritage asset, complete with a unique product category, deep historical roots, and an inventory that would take decades to replicate.
Heritage and liquid assets
But what sets SFW Starka apart is its authenticity. While many modern brands attempt to create a sense of heritage through marketing, this distillery offers genuine history, along with proprietary trademarks, traditional production methods, and significant reserves of ageing stock, which not only provide immediate commercial opportunities but also create a substantial barrier to entry for potential competitors.
Founded in 1863, the distillery has survived multiple political and economic eras, from imperial ownership to state control and eventual privatisation, though it remains closely tied to Poland’s cultural and industrial identity.
Among its most valuable assets are its extensive stocks ageing in its underground cellars. These include more than 50,000 litres of spirit aged over 33 years, as well as rare casks dating back to 1947.
This equates to approximately one million 700ml bottles of 40% ABV aged Starka, ranging from 20 to 75 years old, all of which continue to age in the brand’s deep cellars and are available to bottle and sell now.
Such long-aged inventory is exceptionally difficult to replicate, giving the business a unique advantage in a category where time is a critical factor. Most notable among the inventory of ageing stock is the ‘legendary’ Barrel 45, containing ageing Starka that is more than 60 years old and was last valued at more than £25 million (US$34m/€29.1m).
As the global spirits market increasingly values authenticity, provenance, and aged stock, opportunities like SFW Starka are exceptionally rare, and for the right buyer, this could be the moment to revive and reintroduce one of Europe’s most storied spirits to a new generation of consumers.
Interested parties have until 1 June 2026 to submit bids, with a potential auction scheduled for 12 June.
To read more on this opportunity, visit www.starkavodka.co, or to receive more information about the sale, contact David Lesperance david@lesperanceassociates.
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