Once drunk only in shot glasses by Eastern Europeans, vodka has taken over North America as the most versatile of mixers. The secret to its neutral taste is that it is distilled at so high a proof, none of the flavours from the mash comes through.
Vodka is the universal liquor.
It's made in virtually every country, including such unlikely places as Italy and France. He tried mixing it with several other liquors before hitting on vodka and half a lime. The result was the Moscow Mule. Twist a lemon rind over the glass and around the rim and drop into glass. Recently, the rage was for frozen vodka, served neat.