"The history of vodka, unlike the alcohol itself, is unclear. Russians and Poles both claim the liquor as their own, but the fact is that both groups have been drinking some form of vodka since the Middle Ages," says Balboni. You could settle the debate over which nation makes the better spirit with a multicountry trip to Eastern Europe — or you could simply head to New York and spend a few days drinking your way through the Big Apple's thriving Russian and Polish enclaves. "Polish communities in Brooklyn's Greenpoint — otherwise known as Little Poland — and Ridgewood, Queens, are sure to have strong opinions on the superiority of Polish vodkas. Meanwhile, the residents of Brighton Beach — home to the largest Russian-speaking community in the United States — will have much to say in favor of Russian varieties," says Balboni.
