Episode Details

Vodka means little water, yet this clear spirit has funded empires, sparked trade wars and caused thousands of deaths. This deep dive traces vodka from a low-strength medicinal cleanser mentioned in a 1405 Polish court document to one of the most politically charged drinks on Earth.

We explain how multi-stage distillation pushed alcohol content to 70 to 80 percent, how Russian state monopolies at times supplied up to 40 percent of state revenue, and why many modern brands simply buy bulk grain alcohol and filter it. We also cover the European Union's vodka wars, the drink's role in boycotts, and the deadly dangers of black market spirits.

• Why older regional names for vodka translate to burning wine rather than little water
• How three-stage distillation and dilution with spring water produced early modern vodka
• The state monopoly first established under Ivan III and its role in later Russian politics
• How charcoal filtering removes congeners and why blind taste tests found little difference between brands
• The 2008 EU labeling compromise over grape and citrus vodkas and the 2013 and 2022 boycotts of Russian brands