h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The vodka`s origin is still discussed nowadays. Vodka-like stuff were brewed for quite a couple years both in Poland and Russia, althought the later one is most renowned for the crystal-clear one, Poland most known for aromatized vodka (like Zubrowka, with the bison-weed inside). Althought some vodka are made from potatoes, a lot are made from seigle(thats the french word, cant remember the translation) which grows better in those cold countries.
As for being drink from the bottle-neck, its just a question of habit, althought 1.5liters bottle are little bit too heavy. When they are full of course. A problem that has its solution.

Problem is that Russian vodka is and obviosly was never made from potatoes -- in contrast to Polish. Actually potatoes appeared in Russia only in time of Peter the Great -- and at that time grain vodka already was favorite "heavy" drink for centuries. And still obviosly is.

Actually, vodka as we know it was not around in Peter's times. Then, the Russians used to drink 'braga', a strong non-distilled fermentated stuff made from whatever was available. The techique for distillation of spirit in commercial amounts developed sufficiently only in the recent two hundred years. It was none other than Dmitri Mendeleev (A592913) who suggested the now canonical proportion of 40% alcohol to ensure uniform evaporation of spirit and water. So it went.