Vodka is one of the most famous symbols of the Slavic world, but I’d like to mention that I am not going to promote vodka but want to highlight some interesting facts about this Russian national drink.
Attention: Russian girls in the photos don’t drink vodka, they are just as heady as this drink!

• The Russian word “vodka” derived from the word “voda” which means “water”, this word was taken in the Polish language, where the word “wodka” mean the  Latin phrase “agua vitae” – “the living Water”. Ukrainian word “okovuta” has the same meaning “the water of Life”.

• Traditionally, vodka was a product of the Slavic people. But the strong drink called “aquavit” was made in Italy. In 1386 the Genoese embassy brought “aqua vitae” (spirit of wine) to the Grand Duchy of Moscow court. But this unusual drink didn’t impress Russian people because they preferred medovuha (strong drink with honey) and beer. In 1429 aquavit was brought to Moscow by foreigners as the medicine against a lot of diseases. Apparently, this time Russians liked the drink but they began to dilute it with water. So they created their own drink which was called “vodka”.

• The first Russian grain vodka was produced in the monasteries of Moscow in the 15th century.

• In the late 19th – early 20th century vodka has been identified as the Russian national alcoholic drink thanks to the Great Russian chemist Dmitry Mendeleev. He created a science-based technology of producing vodka. His doctoral dissertation “About the combination of alcohol and water” was dedicated to finding the perfect ratio of alcohol and water in vodka.

• Up to 1885 vodka was sold only in buckets, the bottles were used only for foreign wine.

• Pyotr Smirnov, the founder of the world-famous beverage company “Smirnoff” opened his first plant in Moscow in 1865. He and his brother, Ivan, had 6 plants till the 20th century, and “Smirnoff” company produced at about 400 different kinds of alcohol drinks. Nowadays vodka “Smirnoff” is one of the most popular in the world. Moreover, this brand doesn’t belong to Russia any more, but to the United States, however vodka “Smirnoff” is still produced in Russia.

• The worldwide triumph of the famous vodka “Stolichnaya” is connected with the company PepsiCo and its president, Donald Kendall, who proposed the idea of exchanging “Pepsi” to “Stolichnaya”. He’s built ten plants, producing the soft drinks in Soviet Union, taking over the distribution of “Stolichnaya” around the world. “Only vodka from Russia is genuine Russian vodka” – the advertising company of “Stolichnaya” was one of the most aggressive and successful in the history of the world of marketing.

• It’s recommended to drink the chilled vodka.  The perfect temperature is +9 degrees.

• While drinking vodka it’s better to eat something hot and nutritious than to dilute it with water or juice.

• Russian women add some vodka in desserts, Easter cakes and even in pancakes, because vodka works as baking powder and helps to maintain the freshness of baking.

• Vodka is widely used in ethno science for the preparation of infusions, antiseptics and ointments.

• Slavic women use vodka in the home of cosmetology, they add vodka in the hair and face masks, lotions and crèmes.

• The Ukrainian traditional vodka, “gorilka”, is made with honey and pepper. Ukrainian women make tasty liqueurs with vodka and fruits or berries.

• There are several museums of vodka in Russia: in Uglich (the birthplace of Smirnoff), Smolensk, Tyumen and Moscow, in Ukrainian town Malinovka and even in the capital of the Netherland, Amsterdam!

• “Diva” – the most expensive vodka in the world is produced in Scotland. One bottle of “Diva” costs from 4 thousand to 1 million dollars, it depends on the bottle’s decorations. This vodka is first filtered through a special charcoal, then through pure ice and finally – through tiny pieces of diamonds.

• The expiration date of vodka is only 1 year. So after 12 months from the date of production vodka goes bad and can cause poisoning, so always check the date!

• Vodka is so dear to Slavic people, so there are even several monuments of vodka – in the city of Uglich Yaroslavl region and Nikolaevka village  Samara region.

• Vodka is the ingredient of more than 190 different cocktails, the most famous are “Bloody mary”, “Cosmopolitan”, “White Russian”, “Black Russian”, “San Francisco”, “Blue lagoon”, “Casablanca” and “Screwdriver”.