This document discusses the history of vodka and evolution of vodka cocktails. It provides details on the first uses of distilled alcohol and how vodka emerged in Europe. Key vodka cocktails introduced over time are outlined, from early drinks in the 1900s like the Russian Cocktail and Buckwheat Mary to modern classics like the Espresso Martini, Cosmopolitan, and Kyiv Mule. Various signature cocktails featuring Nemiroff vodkas are also presented.

1. VODKA MIXOLOGY
Oleg Yakobenko

2. Contents
• The history of vodka
• Evolution of vodka cocktails
• Nemiroff signature cocktails

3. The first alcohol
The first to receive ethyl
alcohol in the XI century was
Persian physician Ar-Razi with
the use of distillation cube
invented by the Arabs.
Since the Koran forbids
drinking alcohol, Arabs used it
exclusively for medical or
household purposes. In
Europe, this substance, called
aqua vita ( «water of life") and
spiritus vini ( «the spirit of the
wine", hence the name
“spirit") was initially perceived
only as a universal remedy for
all diseases.

4. 16th century
A common way to check strength of the drink was
burning it: if remained exactly half after alcohol
combustion, then the ABV was about 38 degrees

5. From distillation to rectification
- “Bread wine”
-«пенное» (foamy, 44%)
-«трехпробное» (3-proof, 47%)
-«четырехпробное» - (4-proof, 58%)

6. 1861 – serfsdom was abolished in Russia
January 31 marks the 152 years from the "birthday" of vodka. On this day
in 1865, the Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleev presented his doctoral
thesis "On the compounds of alcohol and water“, which was dedicated to
the question what happens from the physical and chemical point of view, if
you mix alcohol and water in different proportions.
State monopoly was declared in 1894.
Standard of 40 degrees

7. Contemporary vodka production

8. People may say anything about vodka, but this
spirit is a workhorse, canvas for creative
mixology.
We’ve gathered several classic cocktails that
take advantage of vodka versatility.

9. First vodka cocktail
1911
“Russian Cocktail”
2/5 Rowanberry liqueur
3/5 Vodka
The Russian Cocktail
was re-discovered by
David Wondrich and is
believed to be the first
vodka cocktail ever
shown in print.
Originally featured in
the St. Charles Hotel in
New Orleans, the recipe
can be found in a book
called Beverage Deluxe
from 1911.

10. 1921
Fernand Petiot
Harry’s New York Bar
(Paris) – a favorite place
for American expats like
Hemingway, who
popularized the drink

11. New variation – Buckwheat Mary
Buckwheat tincture
Tomato juice
Lemon juice
Oyster sauce
Svan salt
Sugar
Pepper

12. 1941
• John Martin, head of GF Heublein Brothers
— a distributor of food and alcohol —
bought the rights to Smirnoff vodka from a
broke Russian ex-pat. At the time, gin was
the clear spirit of choice in the States.
Martin set about to turn America on to
vodka, but it seemd a very hard task.
• By 1941, Martin’s sales of vodka were still
soft. Martin’s colleague Jack Morgan,
president the Cock ‘n’ Bull Products, was
having a similar problem with his
company’s ginger beer. So one night they
got together to strategize how to unload
their respective products (read: they went
out drinking.) Sitting at Morgan’s Cock ‘n’
Bull restaurant on Hollywood’s Sunset
Strip, the men combined the vodka and
ginger beer for the first time.

13. Kyiv Mule
Nemiroff Honey Pepper
Lime juice
Simple syrup
White kvas

14. 1949
Homeland of this cocktail is the USA.
At first cocktail was very simple at its
core comprised orange juice and
vodka. Today, it instead may contain
rum and whiskey and other spirits.
For example, "Mexican Driver"
contains tequila, "Honey
screwdriver" - honey beer, "Ginger
Screwdriver" - ginger liqueur.
The first written mention of
Screwdriver cocktail found in the
American magazine "Time" in its
issue of October 24, 1949.

15. Summer Garden
Nemiroff Original
Melon liquor
Apple juice
Lemon juice
Elderflower syrup

16. 1962 “Shaken not stirred”
There are a number of
variations on the traditional
Martini. The fictional spy James
Bond sometimes asked his
Vodka Martini to be "Shaken
not stirred", following Harry
Craddock The Savoy Cocktail
Book (1930), which
recommends shaking for all
their Martini recipes. The
proper name for shaken
Martini is Bradford.
Nevertheless, Somerset
Maugham wrote that «Martini
should always be stirred, not
shaken, so that the molecules
lay gently on each other."

17. Sea way to India
Nemiroff Premium Cranberry
Sherry manzanilla
Sandal syrup
Orange bitter (optionally)

18. 80s Espresso Martini
Legend has it that Dick
Bradsell invented the
Vodka Espresso at Fred’s
Club in 1984 when a now
world-famous model
(rumoured to be Naomi
Campbell) requested a
drink that would “wake
me up and f**k me up”

19. Glacé cocktail
Coffee infused
Nemiroff Original
Amaro Averna
Frangelico
Ice Cream foam

20. 90s Cosmopolitan
Asking who created
Cosmopolitan is like asking
Сasanova how many girlfriends
he had:)
The cocktail appeared in
between 1970 and 1988. But
gained popularity in the early
90's, greatly popularized by
Sarah Jessica Parker (TV series
"Sex and the City”)

21. Red Tini
Nemiroff Premium Cranberry
Apricot brandy
Pomegranate syrup DIY
Lemon juice
Egg white

22. Pepper Collins
Nemiroff Honey Pepper
Pineapple Syrup
Lemon juice
Prosecco

23. Mary Rose
Rosemary tincture
Lemon juice
Rich simple syrup
Rose syrup
Porto Tawny