Vodki

The wag from the south of France was in immense force, and incessantly ejaculated ‘Vodki! Vodki!’ capering about with a glass of that liquor in his hand, and drinking and hobnobbing with everybody. I tried a glass of vodki,* and immediately understood what genuine blue ruin was. For this Vodki was bright blue, and it tasted—ugh! of what did it not taste?[…]* Or Vodka, both terminations seem to be used indifferently.

“But it is too early yet; let us treat ourselves to a glass of vodki from my flask until it is safe to venture on the plain.”[…]a pull at the vodki-flask revived him[…]

“Come, shave your heads [the heads of recruits are always shaved in Russia] and I will give each of you a red hat and plenty of vodki” (whiskey). At this the fools only laughed, and said: “We can have all the vodki we want, for we distill it ourselves; and of hats, our little girls make all we want, of any color we please, and with handsome fringes.”

You have a glass of vodki, and toss it down your throat at one swallow. If you are an old hand you have two, four, or six vodkies, which put you into the best of good humour, but unfit you for anything but gossip for the rest of the afternoon.