Vodka is said to have originated in the Northern European region. Russians claim it was their discovery. The Polish will tell you it was theirs and the Swedish will narrate a different story all together.

The Russian Vodka culture-

Vodka became a huge part of the Russian culture, as it was being distilled even before the word vodka came into general use. Not many would know but the word vodka has originated from the word voda; in Russia, meaning water. 

The distilling techniques have been rooted in Russia since the 12th century. In Russia vodka is made out of wheat and potatoes, rye and it is considered to produce the finest taste. 

Russia, over the course of time had to face many problems relating to vodka, namely moral issues, as drunkenness became an issue. In 1917, vodka was banned from the markets and, until 1936, beverages over 20% of alcohol content could not be sold. Over the course of time the ban on vodka was removed. Drunkenness, again, became an issue with the Russian culture.

The Polish Vodka culture-

Polish initially used vodka for medicinal benefits.The Polish historians claim that vodka was first produced in 1405 and is said to have reached Russia from Poland. The Russians however beg to differ from this point of view. During the 16th century, King Jan Obracht of Poland allowed the production and sales of alcohol. Later, in 1572 he limited the production and sales of alcohol .In the 17th century, vodka was established as Poland’s national drink. During this phase Polish started exporting their production to Northern European countries like Russia.

The Swedish Vodka culture-

Swedish initially used vodka for medicinal benefits however by the 16th century; vodka was officially sold as a liquor beverage. There were multiple attempts to ban its production for health reasons, judging from the condition of the Swedish culture, but it was decided that its resulting revenue was far more significant than the culture's health.