This has made it by far the most successful spirit type in the UK, and it is now the highest-selling spirit both in terms of volume, and sales value. Almost three-quarters of all vodka sold in the UK is accounted for by off-sales, that is, sales from premises other than licensed pubs, bars and clubs.
Vodka was first produced in the UK in the 1960s, led by producers who had long experience of distilling other white spirits. They used their state-of-the-art equipment to produce vodka which was of a quality which could compete with many of the Russian-distilled products.
Many people old enough to remember this period will know of Vladivar – the ‘wodka from Varrington’ which was the subject of a massive TV advertising campaign, publicising the fact that it was made in the Cheshire town of Warrington by Greenall Whitley, at the time a major spirit distiller and brewer.
Many other vodkas are now distilled in the UK, under licence from their original manufacturers, and where it was once firmly an eastern European drink, it is now produced far and wide, including in Canada, the USA, Mexico, Finland and Poland.
A wide range of basic ingredients is used as fermentable material in the production of vodka, including potatoes, sugar beet molasses, wheat and rye. The last two of these are considered to produce the best quality vodkas.
Quality standards for vodka production were first laid down in Russia in 1894. Under European law, vodka is not permitted to have any distinctive aroma, colour, character or flavour, so most products made outside Russia undergo extensive filtering to eliminate these traits. Traditional Russian methods of vodka manufacture, however, use very precise distillation methods with a minimum amount of filtering in an effort to retain the product’s unique flavours.
In recent years, a strong trend has emerged towards flavoured vodkas. Honey and pepper are especially popular in Russia, but elsewhere in Europe, including the UK, many fruits – including raspberry, lime, lemon, blackcurrant and apple – are successfully blended with the clear spirit to produce a drink with a wider appeal than the unadulterated product.
All this means that, if you are looking to buy vodka online, you have plenty of choice, and there are lots of types available to tempt you, whatever your tastes.
As vodka sales continue on their upward path in the UK, there is every reason to believe that the world’s more enterprising producers will want to market their wares here. And that can only be good news for the new generation of drinkers with spirit!
If you are looking to buy vodka then the internet is the best place to find it where you can also buy beer online too.
