VODKA

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Vodkas birthplace and back story are widely debated between Poland and Russia, who both lay
claim to its creation and celebrate it as their national drink. Perhaps, though, the truth is
irrelevant since today’s product is indisputably different to that of the 15th or 16th Century.
RUSSIA: STATE & SPIRIT
The first distilled spirits appeared in both Russia and Poland between the 8th and 9th Century
and were initially intended for medicinal use. Utilising the wintry climate, innovators in Russia
developed an early form of freeze distillation, leaving beer outside overnight to freeze and
remove the water content. This produced a spirit with higher alcohol content but resulted in
concentrated levels of fusel oils and other impurities.
Russia can take credit for many of modern vodka’s key characteristics, such as the invention of
charcoal filtration to remove impurities from the final spirit, attributed to 18th century chemist,
Theodore Lowitz. He created the system in 1780, when the Russian Tsar commissioned him to
make the national drink “more hygienic”.
The Russian aristocracy became increasingly involved and eventually held a monopoly over
vodka production at the expense of the working class. This was a major factor in the Bolshevik
revolution of 1917, which forced leading distillers, such as Vladimir Smirnov, to abandon
production and flee the country. Smirnov found himself in Poland, and later France, before
taking his brand across the Atlantic, helping facilitate the introduction of vodka to the western
world.

POLAND: FANCY POTATOES

The Polish word ‘wódka’ can be traced back to 1405, referring to alcohol-based medicines and
cosmetics derived from frozen wine. Later, in the 16th century, it was customary for families to
produce their own vodka at home, flavoured with fruit and herbs to disguise the rough taste of
the alcohol. This tradition of using natural flavourings still characterises Polish vodka production
today.
Poland is famous for producing potato vodka. This began after a royal exchange at the beginning
of the 19th century, when the Austrian Emperor gifted the Polish King the exotic item from the
Americas. The introduction of new technologies later in the century also enabled the production
of more refined vodkas, with rectification close to today’s standards implemented in 1871.
Today, there are over 1000 Polish vodka brands, but the import that boasts Russian roots,
Smirnoff, is amongst the best-selling as many Poles consider it more premium.
THE WEST: CARRIED BY A MULE
In the time leading up to World War II, both Poland and Russia were distilling high quality
vodka, but almost all of it was consumed in the country it was produced. It wasn’t yet considered
a global spirit like whiskey, rum or brandy.
When the US rights to Smirnoff were sold in 1938, the colourless, odourless liquid held little
appeal to North American drinkers, accustomed as they were to whiskey which had flourished
after Prohibition. It took the ingenuity of John G. Martin, an executive at the Heublein drinks
company, to launch the vodka invasion.
A series of clever marketing plays, including the Smirnoff rebranding, culminated in the creation
of the celebrated Moscow Mule – a drink that embodied the spirit of vodka: fresh, dry and spicy.
This announced vodka’s arrival in the West and helped launch a cocktail revolution that would
sweep America.

HOW IS IT MADE?

INGREDIENTS
Vodka can technically be made from anything with a sugar or starch content, but most are
produced from either grain, potato or, in the case of Cîroc, grapes.
Fruits contain sugars that can be fermented by simply adding yeast, but for other raw materials
such as grain and potatoes, enzymes must be added to convert the starch to sugar.
Once a sugar-rich wash is prepared, yeast and water are added to create alcohol. Using grain or
potato, this fermented wash will typically be between 5-7% ABV, but fruit washes can be higher.
DISTILLATION
Column stills are most commonly used in vodka distillation, thanks to their efficiency and ability
to produce a cleaner final product, but some artisanal brands are increasingly using (or
combining) pot stills.
Unlike traditional pot still distillation, column stills operate by carefully controlling hundreds of
smaller distillations through the introduction of steam and temperature control.
As the alcoholic wash is pumped in to the bottom of the still, it is heated by steam and rises up
the long column. The wash evaporates and condenses on perforated sheets, known as bubble
plates. The bottom of the column has a higher concentration of water, whereas the top has a low
concentration of water but a high concentration of light alcohols.
The sweet spot is somewhere near the top of the column, where the concentration of ethanol will
be at its highest (above 96%) and this is where the liquid can be drawn off to produce vodka. The
process is continuous as the wash can be continually pumped through and ethanol continuously
drawn off.
Copper pot still distillation offers a more traditional approach but must be used in conjunction
with a column still when producing vodka, as the pot still alone isn’t capable of reaching the
necessary purity.
ADAPTATION
Most vodkas are then filtered through activated charcoal to remove impurities and colouring
before being reduced to bottling strength (a minimum of 37.5% ABV). Charcoal also mellows
the flavour of the spirit by removing many of the more volatile components.
After distillation, almost 40% of the spirit is made from water – much more than any other spirit.
Therefore, the quality and mineral content of the water used is especially important to distillers
and these days, nearly all vodka distilleries neutralise their water beforehand.

STYLES OF VODKA

Neutral – Multiple-column still distillation and extensive charcoal filtration produce a

particularly smooth, light flavour profile. This neutral style is hugely popular worldwide, with
Smirnoff being the best-known example.
Characterful – Perhaps more subtle than other spirit categories, but the choice of base material
plays a huge role in naturally imparting flavour to a finished vodka.
Russia (and many other nations) use wheat as a base, which typically delivers notes of pepper,
lemon zest and subtler tones of aniseed. Rye, once favoured in Poland, gives the spirit a nutty
sweetness, leaning towards cereal and bread flavours. However, the swap to potatoes gave a
denser, creamier textured vodka with slight vegetable notes.
Flavoured Vodka – Vodkas can be flavoured with spices, fruits and botanicals using a variety of
techniques. Natural flavours can be extracted using maceration, distillation and percolation;
nature-identical flavours can be added using cold compounding. With the increasing consumer
demand, most brands now offer multiple flavoured versions of their core spirit.
GIN
WHERE IT BEGAN

Let’s go back to the year 1689. The Dutch Protestant Prince William of Orange,
along with his wife Mary, became co-rulers of England, Scotland and Ireland.
Embroiled in the Thirty Years’ War with France, they quickly outlawed imported
French brandy and promoted local distillation. Shortly before, English soldiers had
fought alongside the Dutch in their war for independence from the Spanish. During
this time, the English soldiers noticed the Dutch swigging Genever from their flasks
to steady their nerves before battle, coining the phrase ‘Dutch courage’. By banning
imported spirits and deregulating home production, William and Mary had
unknowingly opened the floodgates to uncontrolled distillation and distribution of this
juniper-flavoured liquid from their homeland.
THE GIN CRAZE
The Royal edict meant that private citizens were free to distil gin or other spirits from
grain without a license. Sales were also overly simplified: while beer sellers had to
get a magistrate’s license, attend church and take communion, swear an oath of
allegiance to the Crown and accept the expense of accommodating travelling
military troops. The number of alehouses began to dwindle as restriction-free dram
shops sprang up across the country. The “Gin Craze” had begun.
Gin became the tipple of choice for many people who flocked to London for work
and by 1720 the average weekly consumption of gin was almost three litres per
person. Parliament reacted by introducing a series of laws which would eventually
eradicate unlicensed gin production and curb London’s gin consumption.
THE LONDON DRY ERA
As a bounty of spices, fruits and teas began to arrive in London, the new generation
of legitimate gin distillers found themselves inspired by the exotic array of
ingredients, such as citrus, anise, cinnamon and liquorice root found in the city’s
burgeoning markets. The introduction of column stills in the early 19th century
revolutionised gin production, leading to the creation of “London Dry” style gins
which incorporated these new flavours. These subtler flavoured gins became the
staple ingredient during the roaring 1920s in a new social drinking craze known as
the cocktail!
After a brief lull in popularity during the 1960s, gin began a monumental comeback
and today, there are countless varieties found on shelves across the world.

HOW IT IS MADE
Gin can only be made with a 96% ABV highly rectified spirit, usually produced from
grain using a column still. Natural or nature-identical flavourings may be used, but
the final product must taste predominantly of juniper and have a minimum ABV of
37.5%. Unlike most other spirits, no additional production methods are specified.
Lower quality gins are flavoured using a process known as “cold compounding”;
simply adding flavourings (such as botanicals) to a neutral spirit and filtering before
bottling.
More premium gins are flavoured using re-distillation; juniper berries and other
natural botanicals are added to the spirit to impart their character and the still is
heated to vaporise the spirit. When condensed, the liquid has taken on the flavours.

BOTANICALS
The predominant flavour in all gins is juniper. It has a fresh, balsamic, woody-sweet
and pine needle-like scent and creates a dry, almost bitter taste. The combination of
additional botanicals gives each gin brand its unique characteristics and taste.
There are many botanicals used to flavour gin but the most common can be divided
into four categories:
Floral: Chamomile, bay leaf and orris root.
Spicy: Ginger, coriander seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, lemongrass and angelica
seeds.
Woody: Angelica root, liquorice and nutmeg.
Citrus: Bergamot, bitter orange and pink grapefruit.

TYPES OF GIN

London Dry – Originating in England but now produced all over the world, London
Dry is what most people think of as gin and is typically used to make G&Ts and
martinis. To qualify as London Dry, it must be made in a traditional still by re-
distilling the neutral grain spirit in the presence of botanicals. The distillate must
have a minimum strength of 70% and no additional flavourings or colourants can be
added after distillation.
Distilled – Made in a traditional still by redistilling a neutral grain spirit with
botanicals. The distillate does not have a minimum strength and after distillation,
further flavourings and colourants can be added.
Cold Compounded – Made by adding natural flavouring substances to a neutral
spirit without the redistillation of botanicals. To qualify as gin, the predominant
flavour must be juniper