Vodka is the most versatile of spirits. While people in Eastern Europe and the Baltic often drink it neat, swallowing it in one gulp, others use it in cocktails – from the Bloody Mary to the vodka Martini – or mix it with tonic water or ginger beer to create a refreshing drink. Vodka manufacturers even infuse it with flavours ranging from lemon and strawberry to chocolate, bubble gum and bacon. Created by distilling fermented grains, potatoes or other vegetables, this colourless, flavourless and odourless liquor has been enjoyed by both the rich and the poor throughout its existence, but it has also endured many obstacles along its way to global popularity.

This book takes us for a ride through vodka’s history, from its mysterious origins in a Slavic country in the fourteenth century to its current global popularity. On its way to world domination, vodka became ingrained in Eastern European culture, especially in Russia, where standards in vodka production were first set. It continued to flourish despite hurdles such as American Prohibition and being banned in Russia on the eve of the First World War (because of soldiers turning up for duty drunk). Vodka tells the story of how a humble drink became an international industry.