Part one of a three-part series.
Many nations of the world are associated with their favorite poison. The French are forever linked with red wine. The Germans are inconceivable without a mug of their favorite beer. The Irish go hand-in-glove with whiskey.
No prizes for guessing what alcoholic beverage the Russians are most fond of. It's vodka, of course. The drink seems to be as old as Mother Russia herself. And it appears as if every Russian imbibes it first with his — or her — mother's milk.