Vodka

• Some of the most popular cocktails are made with vodka, such as martinis and lemon drops. Originally from Russia, it was used for medicinal purposes. Made from fermented potatoes, vodka is usually 40 percent alcohol and is colorless. It has little taste, and many popular brands sell vodka mixed with fruit flavorings, like orange and pepper.
  
  

Gin

• Gin and tonics have made a comeback. Gin is a colorless distilled spirit made from barley, corn or rye, and flavored with juniper berries and other spices. It was first produced for medicinal purposes before the 17th century, and popular drinks from gin are martinis and the Singapore Sling.
  
  

Tequila

• Tequila is derived from the blue agave plant and it is still produced primarily around the city of Tequila in Mexico. First made in the 16th century, the volcanic soil in Tequila helps grow the more than 300 million plants that are harvested every year. Tequila is typically 38 to 40 percent alcohol. It is one of the few spirits that is sipped neat and with mixers. Popular tequila drinks include the margarita and tequila sunrise.
  
  

Rum

• Rum runners, mojitos and pina coladas are some of the drinks made from rum. Rum is one of the oldest spirits and it is distilled from sugar cane juice or molasses. Most rum is aged in oak casks, which gives it a golden brown color. Much of the rum produced is from the Caribbean.
  
  

Whiskey

• Whiskey is distilled from grains like wheat and barley, and then it is aged in oak casks. Whiskey has a golden brown color and its aromas are derived from how it is aged. Scotch whiskey is from Scotland, and some of these whiskeys are termed single malt, which is when it is distilled from only malted barley from one distillery. Blended whiskeys are cheaper and mixed from several whiskies. American whiskey is aged for at least two years and some are classified as bourbons, rye or Tennessee whiskey. Popular cocktails from whiskey are an old fashioned and a Manhattan.