Russia has a unique and hard culture and history, so it goes the same with vodka.
10th-century
St. Vladimir, Grand Duke of Kiev, is quoted as saying, "Drinking is Russia's delight."
1174
The Vyatka Chronicle reports the existence of "a vodka distillery" at Khylnovsk, over 500 miles to the east of Moscow.
1448
Russian distillers discover that the grain used for bread can also be used to produce spirit. The new use of grain produces a unique "bread wine" destined to become Russia's national product.
1470s
Production of alcoholic drinks reaches their highest levels ever. The treasury's interest in this new revenue potential prompts Tsar Ivan III to introduce the first-ever monopoly on the production and sale of grain-based wines, including vodka.
1505
According to chronicles of the day, vodka is first exported to Sweden, the lands of the Livonian Order and the future state of Estonia.
1533
Tsar Ivan IV builds the first kabak—or Tsar's tavern, as they came to be known—for his palace guard. At this time, the vodka trade was concentrated in the hands of the Tsar's administration, with sales to individuals allowed only in the Tsar's taverns.
1540s
The appearance of the word vodka in the annals of Novgorod is the first recognition of vodka as the name given to a medicine. Prior to that Russia's national drink did not have an official name. It was known as "hot wine", "bread wine", "korchma", "green wine" and many other names.
1716
Peter the Great, grandson of Michael Romanov and the first Emperor of all Russia, offers the aristocracy and merchants the exclusive right to produce vodka.
1812
Following years of deregulation, and with vodka production in the hands of some 5,000 private distillers, the government imposes a state monopoly on the industry.
1894
For the first time in history the Russian government decides to put vodka on a scientific footing. It commissions Dmitri Mendeleev, Professor of Chemistry at St. Petersburg University and founder of the Periodic Table of Elements, to conduct revolutionary research into the correlation between alcohol and water present in vodka. He finds that, from the point of view of its organic assimilation, the finest strength of vodka to be 40% by volume, or 80 proof. Mendeleev's recipe is adopted by the government as the absolute standard for Russian vodka.
1924
After a brief ban on vodka, the first Soviet monopoly resumes the spirit's production according to Mendeleev's recipe. As the production of vodka steadily expands, new technologies improve its quality, recipes become unified and varieties increase.
1980s
In an effort to combat drunkenness, the government converts a number of liqueur and vodka distilleries into non-alcoholic production facilities. The resolution is lifted soon after, but the industry faces a crisis as production collapses and product quality drops dramatically.
1998
Russian Standard is launched in Russia signaling the start of the restoration of the reputation and quality of classic Russian vodka. The company's first flagship brand, Russian Standard Original, instantly becomes Russia’s newest premium vodka.
2005
Figures for 2005 show that Russian Standard's global sales pass the 1,000,000 case mark. The brand joins Drinks International magazine's elite club of world premium millionaire brands.
2006
Russian Standard's $60 million state-of-the-art distillery opens in St. Petersburg establishing new benchmarks of technical excellence in the production of vodka.
2007
Russian Standard Original, the number one premium vodka in Russia, rolls out in the U.S. following the 2005 introduction of its sister brand Imperia. The brand continues its rapid worldwide expansion with launches in France and the United Kingdom.
2008
Russian Standard Vodka was ranked fourth among the fastest growing alcohol brands in the world in 2007, according to the respected spirits industry journal Impact. Russian Standard continues to experience extraordinary growth, increasing its volumes in Russia and 48 export markets by 40%, and launching a new brand, Russian Standard Gold.
2009
Russian Standard continues to strengthen its position as Russia’s number one premium vodka and the country’s only truly global vodka brand. In 2009, the brand increased its global volumes by 5% to more than 2.2 million 9L cases across more than 70 export markets. According to the spirits industry magazine Impact, Russian Standard is ranked 42nd among the top 100 spirits brands in the world.
Today vodka is so popular that it has it's own World Cup.
Mixing while jumping from a chopper
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