f History and Mythology of Polish Vodka: 1270-2007

Today, vodka is an important element in Polish national identity. The distillation of wine was known to a small number of Polish physicians and scholars by the end of the 13^th century, but widespread popularity of distillates as beverages did not come earlier than the end of the 16^th century. Grain vodkas, in particular rye vodkas, have been an important part of Polish culture since at least the early 17^th century. Polish potato vodkas arose in the late 18^th century and dominated production in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, but then fell to minimal levels.