National Vodka Day – Pass Me That Screwdriver

Today is National Vodka Day and with that in mind, if this weekend’s honey-do project includes use of a screwdriver, perhaps as you twist and turn for honey, they could make a screwdriver of another kind for you.  Seems only fair. Vodka and orange juice is a popular drink going back 50 years and more.

According to a blog called dan holmes,  the party drink gets its worktool  name from the Persian Gulf. …” the 1950s, workers on oil rigs in the Persian Gulf would work incredibly long and dangerous hours. So, of course they relieved the tedium with alcohol. Apparently, a few of them, some sources say a mix of Turks, Serbs, Albanians, American engineers, and maybe a Greek or two, poured orange juice and vodka into cans while working on the rigs. The name came from the workers using a screwdriver to stir their secret alcoholic elixir.”  http://www.danholmes.com/blog-posts/how-five-popular-drinks-got-their-names/

One brand of orange juice is pretty indistinguishable one from another but not so for vodka say the experts.  Here’s the world's best vodka brands, ranked by sales (source: The Spirits Business "9"

(tie) Grey Goose, case sales: 3.95 million
9. (tie) Skyy, case sales: 3.95 million (Includes flavored vodkas like Skyy Infusions Texas Grapefruit, Skyy Infusions Pacific Blueberry, Cranberry, Georgia Peach, Vanilla Bean, Moscato Grape, Citrus, Dragon Fruit, Ginger Cherry, and Passion Fruit)
8. Krupnik, case sales: 4.0 million
6. (tie) Pyat Ozer (Five Lakes), case sales: 4.2 million (Russian vodka)
6. (tie) Svedka, case sales: 4.2 million (Swedish vodka brand includes Mango Pineapple, Strawberry Lemonade, Peach and Grapefruit Jalapeño).

5. Zubrowka, case sales: 6.15 million. Polish vodka also known as The Bison Grass vodka.
4. Khlebny Dar, case sales: 6.34 million. Founded in 2002, the brand name literally translates as ‘bread gift’, a reference to the cereals used in production.
3. Khortytsa, case sales: 7.29 million. Ukrainian vodka available in Classic, Platinum and Silver Cool --plus a handful of flavored extensions.
2. Absolut, case sales: 11.0 million.
1. Smirnoff, case sales: 25.8 million.