During the Middle Ages, distilled liquor was used mainly for medicinal purposes, as well as being an ingredient in the production of gunpowder. It wouldn't be until the 14th century that Vodka would be recognized formally as a 'drink'.

A National Drink
In the 14th century a British Ambassador to Moscow first described vodka as the Russian national drink and in the mid-16th century it was established as the national drink in Poland and Finland. In Russia as well, vodka was used frequently as a medicine.

In these ancient times, Russia produced many different varieties of 'vodka' or 'hot wine' as it was called. There was 'plain wine' (standard), 'good wine' (improved) and 'boyar wine' (high quality). In addition stronger types existed, distilled two ('double wine') or more times. And since their production methods were crude, vodka often contained impurities, so to mask these the distillers flavored their spirits with things like fruit, herbs or spices.

The 15th century saw the first appearance of pot distillation in Russia. Prior to that, seasoning, ageing and freezing were all used to remove impurities, as was precipitiation using isinglass ('karluk') from the air bladders of sturgeons. Distillation became the first step in producing vodka, with the product being improved by precipitation using isinglass, milk or egg white.

Around this time (1450) vodka started to be produced in large quantities and the first recorded exports of Russian vodka were to Sweden in 1505. Polish 'woda' exports started a century later, from major production centers in Posnan and Krakow.

By 1716, owning a distillery was exclusively saved for the nobility and in 1751 they were granted special rights that entitled them to said ownership.

In 1771, the Liebig condenser was invented by German chemist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel, vastly improving production and purity. This is very close to the condensing process of today. It was also around the eighteen century that a professor in St. Petersburg discovered a method for purifying alcohol using charcoal filtration. Up to that point, purifying was primarily done with felt or sand.

Growing Demand
The awareness of vodka continued throughout the 19th century, helped by the presence in many parts of Europe of Russian soldiers involved in various wars on the continent, including the Napoleonic Wars. To meet the growing demand, lower grade products were produced based largely on distilled potato mash.

Between the years 1860 and 1890, attempts were made to control production by reducing the number of distilleries from 5,000 to 2,050, but these efforts failed. But in 1894, a law was enacted to make the production and distribution of vodka in Russia a state monopoly. This was both for fiscal reasons and to control the epidemic of drunkenness which the cheap, mass-produced 'vodkas' imported and home-produced, had brought about.

It is only at the end of the 19th century, with adoption of a standard production technique and a guarantee of quality, that the name "vodka" was officially and formally recognized.

Vodka Comes to America
After the Russian Revolution cerca 1918, the Bolsheviks confiscated all private distilleries in Moscow. As a result, a number of Russian vodka-makers emigrated, taking their skills and recipes with them.

One such exile revived his brand in Paris, using the French version of his family name - Smirnoff. Thence, he set up the first vodka distillery there in 1934. This was subsequently sold to a US drinks company. From this small start, vodka began in the 1940s to achieve its wide popularity in the Western World.

Vodka is made from neutral spirits, (which are distilled spirits produced from any material at or above 190° proof). Usually it is distilled from grain or potatoes. The end result is ethanol. It is then charcoal filtered, rectified or distilled again to ensure all congeners and taste is removed. In the United States, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms' law states that "Vodka is neutral spirits so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color." The exception to this law is flavored Vodkas.