Although being the older drink - vodka took much longer than gin to become popular in Western society. However - following the Russian Revolution in 1917, a number of Russian refugees took their skills - and their love of vodka - to many parts of the world. In the 1930s one such exile emigrated from Russia via France to the United States bringing with him the formula to one of the leading Russian makes of vodka. Through his dealings with another Russian émigré the first vodka distillery in the United States was set up in the 1930s. Although not particularly successful at first, this enterprise was sold on again to an entrepreneur who eventually made a hit in the 1950s with a vodka-based cocktail, the Moscow Mule. Realistically though vodka did not see a great boom in popularity in the West until the 1960s and 1970s when many more brands were launched in the USA and the UK. The timing coincided with the cultural revolution in these countries - the 'swinging sixties'. With a more affluent younger generation and a generally more relaxed lifestyle and the emphasis on adventure and experimentation - vodka's 'mixability' (plus the appeal of some witty and clever advertising) led to its huge and ever rising popularity, which continues today. Vodka cocktails are almost as numerous as those of gin and are seen in the same exclusive circles and stylish bars the world over.