History : Vodka

Vodka | Minsk Kryshtal

The history of vodka goes back several centuries. However, the history of modern vodka that we are familiar with today – clear and generally un-flavoured – is far shorter.

In 1894 the Tsar of Russia, Alexander III, commissioned the celebrated Russian chemist Dimitri Mendeleev to establish standards for the production of vodka that would be implemented at all distilleries throughout Russia. It is the findings of this one man that define most of the vodka that we drink today, as all the vodkas produced in Russia were subsequently tested by the authorities against these standards. If they failed any of the tests they could not be sold on the open market. It is notable that some of the market leading vodkas made in the west would fail the stringent Russian standards if they were manufactured in Russia today.