Vodka

This clear liquor traces its distant roots back to Russia and Poland where it was first distilled from wheat or potatoes. It was American bartenders returning to the states (1930s) from Europe after the end of Prohibition that made vodka (unique and foreign at the time) famous by serving everything from a Bloody Mary to an Espresso Martini. By legal definition vodka should be flavorless and odorless, but we are seeing much innovation in this category with nuanced flavor and character and even the variety in raw ingredients used to distill.