If you ask any foreigner what the Russian national drink is, there can only be one answer. Although several countries bicker over the right to call themselves the homeland of vodka, there is no historical evidence of who first thought of mixing water and alcohol.

The Aztecs called this drink a gift from the gods and used it during religious ceremonies. The name “tequila” itself comes from the Indian tribe Tequila and the Tequila volcano, towering over the blue agave plantations in the Mexican state of Jalisco, where practically all the tequila in the country is made.

Rum, the favorite drink of swashbuckling adventurers, was used for some time in Europe as currency on a par with gold. Many varieties of “Barbados water” are now produced in various countries but, as 200 years ago, the most consumed type is light rum, aged only slightly.

In search of the elixir of life, medieval monks were constantly experimenting with infusions of berry juices and aromatic herbs with the addition of roots or spices. They often added honey since many medicinal herbs have a bitter taste. This is how the first liqueurs appeared, which in those days were called elixirs and were prepared by the monks from various medicinal and aromatic plants.

At the beginning of the 17th century, French winemakers came up against an unexpected result of the fermentation process. Sparkling wine was long called “the devil’s wine” for its ability to burst the barrels in which it was stored. Soon the drink’s energetic nature was harnessed, and sparkling wine became a mandatory part of any celebration.