Vodka 

Cereal distillates belong to the tradition of the entire northern European belt, where it is not possible to grow grapes. And vodka is no exception: it is an unaged cereal distillate, which in recent times has seen a return to the original raw material, potatoes and a further declination with products of wine and fruit derivation. The first distillery was born in 1534 in Poland, but to arrive at a codification of the production rules aimed at obtaining a quality product, we will have to wait for the end of the 18th century when Mendeleev, a mathematical physicist from St. Petersburg, according to a accredited by popular tradition, he wrote raw materials and steps to achieve a constant production standard. Paradoxically it was James Bond, agent 007, sworn enemy of Russian spies, who cleared customs in Europe, many years later, vodka as an alcoholic drink, both straight and mixed, loading it with social meanings very different from the originals. It all began in 1953, when Ian Fleming wrote "Casino Royale", creating the Vesper Martini phenomenon, a very dry Martini Cocktail, in which part of the gin was replaced by vodka. In the last 10 years, the vodka market has undergone a real revolution, from a product suitable only for mixing to a luxury item with a soft taste, to be drunk neat, in elegant glasses. Today the market is a succession of very particular versions, with creative packaging, by virtue of multiple distillations and filtrations in particularly noble materials such as gold dust or diamonds.