Vodka, interpreted as meaning “Little Water” is derived from the Slavic “Voda.”  The exact origins of distilled vodka is uncertain, but it is certainly old, and certainly of Eastern European origin.  The common belief is that Vodka originated in Poland or Russia in either the 8th or 9th Centuries.  And yet, the first recorded Vodka distillery was not reported until 1174, in Khlynovsk, Russia, and the first use of the word “Vodka” did not appear until 1405.  Up to that time, Vodka was known as gorzeć, meaning “to burn.”

Like many other spirits, early Vodka differed pretty substantially from what we enjoy today and serving a primarily medicinal purpose.  In these early days, Vodka is presumed to have had a maximum alcohol by volume of 14% (the maximum possible by natural fermentation, before the distillation process was invented), compared with 35-40% for most Vodkas sold today.

Polish Vodka production ramped up in the late 1500’s – in 1580, the Polish city of  Poznań alone housed 498 operating distilleries – and exportation across Europe was commonplace.  At this time, distillation procedures were rudimentary and had to be repeated three times.  The result was a spirit of 70-80% alcohol by volume, which was then watered down to levels more typical today: around 35%.  Real, industrial Vodka production began in 18th Century, with the first industrial-scale distillery opening in Lwów in 1782.

The history of Russian Vodka is a bit different and somewhat more fantastical.  The story goes that the first Vodka brought to Russia, a grape-based Vodka, was delivered by Genoese ambassadors to the Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy in 1386.  Then, according to legend, a monk named Isidore, working inside the Kremlin in 1430, created an improved “bread wine” given his superior knowledge of of distillation (where he obtained this knowledge, is unclear).  Isidore is said to have exclusively produced his spirit in the Grand Duchy of Moscow, tying it to the region, and keeping it isolated from the rest of the land.  It is said to have remained an exclusively Muscovite spirit until industrial production began, centuries later.

Vodka from Sweden, while perhaps not as intimate of an association for most people (at least pre-Absolut and Svedka), has existed since the 15th Century; however, Swedish “Vodka” was not designated as such until the 1950’s, known instead as “burn-wine.”  In Sweden, Vodka was initially produced from grains in rather limited quantities.  Production expanded beginning in the early 18th Century, but was interrupted several times in periods of grain shortage.  This may have been one motivation for Swedes to begin distilling potato-based Vodka in the late 18th Century, which became the standard practice shortly thereafter.

Today, Vodka is one of the most commonly consumed types of alcohol worldwide, and Smirnoff, a Vodka originally from Russia, is the world’s most-purchased spirit brand.

Source: Wikipedia