National Vodka day,Cheers Comrade.

The word vodka originates from the Russian term "zbiznennaia voda," meaning "water of life," a phrase that starkly contrasts with the spirit’s later association with bellicose, totalitarian regimes and infamous dictators. Ivan the Terrible, Russia’s ruthless first Czar, played a pivotal role in both the production and widespread consumption of vodka. He was responsible for establishing the first taverns, known as kabaks, which served his merciless palace guard, the oprichniny—an early precursor to the secret police organizations such as the KGB. Ivan also created state-owned distilleries, cleverly turning vodka production into a profitable state enterprise. Similarly, Joseph Stalin significantly expanded vodka production to help fund the nation’s defense efforts, embodying a modern incarnation of ruthless leadership intertwined with alcohol policy. In contrast, Mikhail Gorbachev made notable efforts to restrict alcohol production in an attempt to combat the widespread alcoholism that plagued Soviet society, although economic incentives related to vodka sales ultimately undermined his reforms. Interestingly, Vladimir Lenin opposed drinking almost entirely, concerned that excessive alcohol consumption would weaken communist objectives and the revolutionary cause. The exact origins of vodka are debated, with estimates ranging from as early as the 12th century to as late as the 16th century. Despite its long and complex history in Russia, vodka only achieved significant popularity in the United States after World War II, becoming a staple of American drinking culture in the decades that followed.