Vodka has fast become the sophisticated drink of the noughties, shrugging off the veil of its more unglamorous origins rooted in central and Eastern Europe where it was originally used for medicinal purposes.

For several years vodka has topped hard liquor sales in the US and last year the white spirit overtook whiskey as the UK's best-selling hard liquor. Vodka sales in Britain reach more than seven million nine-litre cases a year.

To complement the growing trend, vodka-themed bars have burgeoned around the country since the early 2000s. In them can be found more than 40 different varieties of vodka; some made from seemingly untraditional ingredients.

Originally colourless, odourless and tasteless, vodka first became broadly popular for its mixer properties and was the key ingredient in cult drinks such as the Harvey Wallbanger and Bloody Mary of the '60s and '70s. The '80s and '90s saw the spirit open itself up to a younger audience in the form of pre-mixed drinks. Anyone recall the lemon Stolly? In the late-'90s, vodka continued to win widespread appeal, this time buoyed by the rise of the Cosmopolitan cocktail, elevated to near-cult status thanks to US television series Sex In the City.

Last year vodka hit the spotlight when a 'vodka war', which had been brewing for many years, finally came to a head. The war pitted countries in the the so-called vodka belt, including Poland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania against a group led by Britain, the Netherlands, France and Austria, over what defines a spirit as 'vodka'. Those in the vodka belt wanted a definition that allowed vodka to be made only of grain, potatoes and molasses. The opponents wanted a more relaxed definition, which took in ingredients such as grapes, beets or citrus fruit.

The EU ruled that 'vodka' can be made from any ingredient as long as the bottle is clearly labelled.

One man who delighted in the EU's ruling was Jean-Sebastian Robicquet, founder and distiller of the first grape-based vodka, Ciroc, which sparked the international controversy.

It was Robicquet who questioned why vodka couldn't be made from sources other than the traditional potato and grains. Distilling has been in the Robicquet family for generations. Based in the wine-growing regions of Cognac and Gaillac it is here that Ciroc was born and hence where it derives its refined fruity taste.

Made essentially from French Mauzac Blanc grapes, the family uses modern technology combined with traditional 10th Century preservation methods, established by the Benedictine Monks in the Abbey of St Michel, to procure the distinctive grape vodka.

The Mauzac Blanc grapes are grown at elevations of just over 300m, essentially in their own special microclimate. The grapes are left on the vine for an extended period of ripening before being harvested, which is done late in the season when the temperatures are lower and make the grapes firmer and easier to pick. This not only reduces bruising, which has an adverse affect on flavour, but also allows each grape to retain its pure fruit freshness and natural aromas. The subsequent juice contains a higher sugar content and unique body, which make up the distinctive elements of the grape vodka.

The thing that seperates Ciroc vodka from others is that it is distilled five times — the fifth time using specially-designed yet traditional copper pot-still methods, to ensure the highest quality. It is this process that contributes to the refined citrus-like nose, smooth taste and crisp, clean finish that is inherent of Ciroc.

After identifying a gap in the market, Robicquet used his marketing expertise to sell Ciroc and the idea of grape vodka initially to the US market and eventually throughout Europe. It is distributed in Britain by drinks giant Diageo.

According to Robicquet, vodka as a drink has come a long way and ever-more sophisticated distilling methods have refined the quality so much that one of the most enjoyable ways to drink it is neat, or on the rocks.

At the same time, it has not lost its footing as the preferred base for cocktails and mixer drinks. Mixologists around Britain are seeking more upmarket vodka varieties to invent more sophisticated cocktail flavours. You would be siginficantly hard-pressed not to find a number of premium vodka-based creations on any respected club's cocktail menu.

As for the wider market, demand for vodka continues to surge with upmarket bars, pubs and hotels all vying to cater for patrons' increasing taste for the spirit. Not to be left behind or threatened by the ever-growing boutique vodka market, the old favourites such as Smirnoff, Stolichnaya and Absolut continue to power on.

So where will it end? Robicquet agrees that the surge in vodka's popularity may just be a passing trend, awaiting to be surpassed by the next feted thing. Only time will tell, but for now it seems we are riding the wave of a vodka revolution.

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