🗓 On October 10, 1503, monks in the Kremlin first produced Russian vodka, which was initially used as an antiseptic.

It is well-documented that the monks, through multiple distillations and additional capture of water vapor, deliberately created rectified grain alcohol and diluted it with water in a ratio of one part alcohol to half a part water. This distilled product of the mash was named "vodovka" in a Polish manner, as evidenced by a record in one of the archive books.

Interestingly, the vodka that is now consumed worldwide was originally used by monks as an antiseptic. However, the drink gradually became so popular in Russia that in 1533, a state monopoly was introduced for the production and sale of vodka in "royal taverns." Russian noble distillers strictly ensured that vodka was produced as cleanly and slowly as possible. By the mid-18th century, the peak quality of Russian vodka was achieved, produced exclusively in the conditions of noble home production.

During this era, many types and varieties of Russian vodka emerged. Unique methods for purifying the vodka product also appeared—milk and egg whites, birch charcoal, silver, felt, and even river sand were used as filtering agents. According to historians, the word "vodka," known since the late 17th century, most likely derives from "voda," meaning water.