Rusian Vodka

The production of vodka in volume in Russia started from middle XV of century (between 1446 and 1478), and already at the beginning XVI of century there was information about the export of vodka from Russia to nearby Sweden (1505), where it became first known from Russians, not from Germans.

We may say, that to the middle of XVIII century the top quality of Russian vodka made exceptionally in the conditions of squire "domestic" production has won it`s reputation, as from 1716 distillation became an exceptional privilege of noblemen, and rich and titled nobility got the special right for cubes for vodka doubling (June, 6, 1751 Decree ).

According to the Decree of March, 31, 1755 it was ordered to confiscate all the distilling plants which merchants could keep under the guise of noblemen or even on some shares with noblemen. Thus, in the second half of the XVIII century Russian vodka was totally of "domestic" production. This guaranteed it`s high quality, because according to the idea of legislator, it was targeted mainly at the privileged layers of society and was cleared up exceptionally by natural animal albumin coagulants, in spite of high expenses. It might have been this way only in Russia, subject to absolutely free of charge bondmen labour and complete property of the nobility for natural riches. So, at least one bucket of milk or half a bucket of egg-whites were supposed for six buckets of firstly distilled vodka.

During that epoch there was a great number of kinds and sorts of Russian vodka, and main attention of producers was paid premiu to this variety, not to standardization. Every landlord aimed to have his own brand of vodka . Only "aromatized vodkas " were considered true ones. They were got, firstly diluting the secondary distillation of alcohol with milk, and then - distilling this mixture the third time. Then water was refilled and different green flavours from the Russian spicy herbs, berries, fruit or arboreal breed seeds (birch, oak, hazel-wood trees, bird cherry trees, juniper trees and others) were added. Later on again they distilled vodka, or a la Russian "chetverili vodku".

At times during landlord`s feasts there was a specific entertainment: the guests contrived a word and poured a few drops of different vodkas for every letter of this word in a wineglass, and a landlord who was tasting these "cocktails" tried to divine the word contrived. Sometimes specialists made a good shot of such long and difficult words as "Nebuchadnezzar", which included a mixture of about ten vodka types. All of it testifies not only ingenuity of the Russian "cocktail" compilers but also their high culture of drinking, because the main aim was maintainance of clear mind, cold reason, and high ability to distinguish the tints of aroma even from the most difficult mixtures.

There is one more fact to mention: the Russian compilers of cocktails paid main attention to taste, but not to original bright appearance of cocktail. Finally, these mixtures were based upon a homogeneous spirit product - on the basis of vodka only, which also deposed their harmlessness. There is no surprise, that exactly that period, especially from the end of XVIII age, the glory about the high quality of Russian vodka was widely spread in Western Europe.

Russian vodka was being exported,not as a commodity, but as a "gift" from the Russian aristocrats. Ekaterina the IInd did not consider dishonourable to compliment Frederick the Great and Voltaire with Russian vodka, or to send it to Swedish king to Gustav III and to the great Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. The last one, by the way, even devoted a research to vodka named " Vodka in the hands of a philosopher, doctor and man" and published in 1790.

Certainly, Russian methods of making high-quality "home" vodka uttery rose in it`s the price, slowed its production, and hindered it`s development in more considerable sizes. However, as far as vodka was not considered exceptionally the "commodity article" in the conditions of bond economy, it`s quality wasn`t abaten, and no necessity to compete with cheap vodkas of factory production in nearby countries like Lithuania, Poland, Prussia existed.