Studying the Effects of Essential Oil Bearing Plants on the Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Vodka

Ancient vodka was an alcoholic tincture made of herbs and berries, where ethyl alcohol was modified by the many complex combinations of healthy substances. The ancient vodka makers preserved the preparation principle based on using an alcohol purified of harmful impurities in combination with herbal components; subsequent processing was what distinguished alcoholic drinks from medications. Thus, Russia finally invented and popularized aromatic vodkas, tinctures, liqueurs, and rataphias, which then became popular worldwide. Essential oil bearing plants have been known to human since long ago; they boast a high content of biologically active agents and minerals. They are broadly used in perfumery, cosmetics, confectionary, paint and liqueur production. When used in making alcohol, the beverage is infused with the biologically active components of such plants. Modern use of plants for vodka aromatization is mainly due to strong competition in the market, the producers' marketing policy, or the need to achieve a desired taste or aroma. There are very few publications that describe the effects of biologically active agents on the human body, whereby drinking vodka has a hepatoprotective effect. In our quest for new vodka formulations, we added the total aromatic alcohol produced from essential oil bearing plants and found out that such vodka was less toxic while having unquestionable organoleptic advantages. It was found out that the use of aromatic alcohols based on aromatic plants did not cause any accumulation of harmful substances in special vodkas. We have developed new formulations for vodkas we named Zemlyanichnaya (Strawberry), Brusnichnaya (Cowberry), and Chernichnaya (Blueberry) based on total aromatic alcohols produced from aromatic plants growing in RNO-Alania; we found out that the use of aromatic alcohols based on aromatic plants did not cause any accumulation of harmful substances in special vodkas.