VODKA MIXOLOGYOleg Yakobenko

Contents

• The history of vodka• Evolution of vodka cocktails• Nemiroff signature cocktails

The first alcoholThe 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.

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

From distillation to rectification

- “Bread wine”-«пенное» (foamy, 44%)-«трехпробное» (3-proof, 47%)-«четырехпробное» - (4-proof, 58%)

1861 – serfsdom was abolished in RussiaJanuary 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

Contemporary vodka production

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.

First vodka cocktail1911

“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.

1921

Fernand PetiotHarry’s New York Bar (Paris) – a favorite place for American expats like Hemingway, who popularized the drink

New variation – Buckwheat Mary

Buckwheat tinctureTomato juiceLemon juiceOyster sauceSvan saltSugarPepper

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.

Kyiv Mule

Nemiroff Honey PepperLime juiceSimple syrup White kvas

1949Homeland 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.

Summer Garden

Nemiroff OriginalMelon liquorApple juiceLemon juiceElderflower syrup

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."

Sea way to India

Nemiroff Premium Cranberry Sherry manzanillaSandal syrupOrange bitter (optionally)

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”

Glacé cocktail

Coffee infused Nemiroff Original Amaro Averna FrangelicoIce Cream foam

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”)

Red Tini

Nemiroff Premium Cranberry Apricot brandy

Pomegranate syrup DIYLemon juice

Egg white

Pepper CollinsNemiroff Honey Pepper

Pineapple SyrupLemon juice

Prosecco

Mary RoseRosemary tincture

Lemon juice

Rich simple syrup

Rose syrup

Porto Tawny