“A vodka martini please. Polish, not Russian. Shaken, not stirred.”
James Bond, Agent 007, plunging a stake into the heart of gin sales
The Basis of Vodka Vodka is the dominant spirit of Eastern Europe. It is made by fermenting and then distilling the simple sugars from a mash of pale grain or vegetal matter. Vodka is produced from grain, potatoes, molasses, beets and a variety of other plants. Rye is the classic grain for vodka, and most of the best Russian and Polish brands are made exclusively from a rye mash. Swedish and Baltic distillers are partial to wheat mashes, although wheat is also used farther east. Potatoes are looked down on by Russian distillers, but are held in high esteem by some of their Polish counterparts. Molasses, a sticky, sweet residue from sugar production, is widely used for inexpensive, mass-produced brands of vodka. American distillers use the full range of base ingredients. Distillation of Vodka Vodka is distilled in a pot or column still. Vodka comes out of the still as a clear, colorless spirit. But vodka from a pot still (the sort used for cognac and Scotch whisky) will contain some of the delicate aromatics, congeners and flavor elements of the crop from which it was produced. Pot stills are relatively “inefficient,” and the resulting spirit from the first distillation is usually redistilled (rectified) to increase the proof of the spirit. Vodka from a more “efficient” column still is usually a neutral, characterless spirit. Except for a few minor exceptions, vodka is not put in wooden casks or aged any extensive period of time. It can, however, be flavored or colored with a wide variety of fruits, herbs and spices. Classifications of Vodka There are no uniform classifications of vodka. In Poland vodkas are graded according to their degree of purity: standard (zwykly), premium (wyborowy) and deluxe (luksusowy). In Russia vodka that is labeled osobaya (special) usually is a superior-quality product that can be exported, while krepkaya (strong) denotes an overproof vodka at least 56% ABV. In the United States, domestic vodkas are defined by U.S. government regulation as “neutral spirits, so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color.” Because American vodka is, by law, neutral in taste, there are only very subtle distinctions between brands. Many drinkers feel that the only real way of differentiating between them is by alcohol content and price. Types of Vodka Since vodka tends to be a neutral spirit, it lends itself to blending with flavors and fortifying other beverages. In the 19th century, high-proof “Russian spirit” was held in high esteem by sherry producers in Spain who imported it to fortify their wines. Neutral spirits are still used to fortify port, sherry and other types of fortified wines, although the source of alcohol for such purposes these days tends to be the vast “wine lake” that has been created by European Union agricultural practices. Flavored vodkas have been produced from the start, originally to mask the flavor of the first primitive vodkas, but later as a mark of the distiller’s skill. The Russians and Poles in particular still market dozens of flavors. Some of the better known types are:
Kubanskaya
Vodka flavored with an infusion of dried lemon and orange peels. Limonnaya Lemon-flavored vodka, usually with a touch of sugar added.
Okhotnichya
“Hunter’s” vodka is flavored with a mix of ginger, cloves, lemon peel, coffee, anise and other herbs and spices. It is then blended with sugar and a touch of a wine similar to white port. A most unusual vodka.
Pertsovka
Pepper-flavored vodka, made with both black peppercorns and red chili peppers. Starka “Old” vodka, a holdover from the early centuries of vodka production, which can be infused with everything from fruit tree leaves to brandy, port, Malaga wine and dried fruit. Some brands are aged in oak casks.
Zubrovka
Zubrowka in Polish; vodka flavored with buffalo (or more properly “bison”) grass, an aromatic grass favored by the herds of the rare European bison.
In recent years numerous other flavored vodkas have been launched on the world market. The most successful of these have been fruit flavors such as currant and orange. Vodka Regions Eastern Europe is the homeland of vodka production. Every country produces vodka, and most also have local flavored specialties. Russia, Ukraine a n d B e l a r u s produce the full range of vodka types, and are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in vodka production. Only the better brands, all of which are distilled from rye and wheat, are exported to the We s t . Poland produces and exports both grain- and potato-based vodkas. Most of the high- quality brands are produced in pot stills. The Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, along with Finland, produce primarily grain-based vodkas, mostly from wheat. Sweden has, in recent decades, developed a substantial export market for its straight and flavored wheat-based vodkas. Western Europe has local brands of vodka wherever there are distilleries. The base for these vodkas can vary from grains in northern countries such as the United Kingdom, Holland and Germany, to grapes and other fruits in the winemaking regions of France and Italy. The United States a n d C a n a d a produce nonflavored vodkas, both from various grains (including corn) and from molasses. American vodkas are, by law, neutral spirits, so the distinction between brands is more a matter of price and perception than taste. The Caribbean produces a surprising amount of vodka, all of it from molasses. Most of it is exported for blending and bottling in other countries. Australia produces molasses-based vodkas, but few are exported. Asia has a smattering of local vodkas, with the best coming from Japan.
