Marskin ryyppy is a strong alcohol

Alcohol

In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....

ic drink

Drink

A drink, or beverage, is a liquid which is specifically prepared for human consumption. In addition to fulfilling a basic human need, beverages form part of the culture of human society.-Water:...

, served as a shot. The drink is named after Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War, Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces during World War II, Marshal of Finland, and a Finnish statesman. He was Regent of Finland and the sixth President of Finland...

, the Marshal of Finland

Marshal of Finland

Marshal of Finland was the title awarded to the Finnish Commander-in-Chief Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim on his 75th birthday on June 4, 1942. The fully honorary rank was specially created for Mannerheim...

. According to all sources it is important that the glass where the drink is served is poured as full as possible (to the point where surface tension

Surface tension

Surface tension is a property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. It is revealed, for example, in floating of some objects on the surface of water, even though they are denser than water, and in the ability of some insects to run on the water surface...

 keeps some of the drink in the glass); the glass is then to be emptied without spilling. This practice is said to originate in the Chevalier Guard

Chevalier Guard

The Chevalier Guard regiment was a Russian heavy cavalry guard regiment, created in 1800 by the reformation of the Chevalier Guard corps, itself created in 1764 by Catherine the Great...

 where Mannerheim once served; every man was entitled one shot of Vodka per day, and through this practice everyone was assured the equal maximum amount. Marskin ryyppy must also be served ice-cold.

Origin

The drink was originally created by Mannerheim's adjutant

Adjutant

Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...

 Ragnar Grönvall after the Marshal asked him to do something about the horrible flavour of the low quality vodka

Vodka

Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....

 available during wartime

Continuation War

The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...

. The goal was to fade the taste of cheap vodka by adding a dash of more expensive ingredients into the mix.

Ingredients

The ingredients of the mixture have been up for debate for almost 50 years, and the original ingredients are not even available anymore. According to some sources the drink is to be made of:

• The Mannerheim -internet project: 1 liter (1 L) of Rajamäki brand akvavit
  Akvavit
  Akvavit or aquavit is a traditional flavoured spirit that is principally produced in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century....
  
  , 2 cL dry French
  France
  The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
  
   vermouth
  Vermouth
  Vermouth is a fortified wine flavored with various dry ingredients. The modern versions of the beverage were first produced around the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Italy and France...
  
   and 1 cL gin
  Gin
  Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
  
  .
• Alko
  Alko
  Alko is the national alcoholic beverage retailing monopoly in Finland. It is the only store in the country which retails beer over 4.7% ABV, wine and spirits. Alcoholic beverages are also sold in licensed restaurants and bars but only for consumption on the premises...
  
  's Etiketti -magazine: 500 mL Extra brand akvavit, 500 mL Pöytäviina brand brännvin
  Brännvin
  Brännvin is a Swedish word for liquor distilled from potatoes, grain, or wood cellulose; it may be flavored or unflavored. The term includes vodka and akvavit, but akvavit is always flavored....
  
  , 20 mL Noilly Prat vermouth and 10 mL gin.
• Taru Stenvall's book Marski ja hänen hovinsa (The Marshal and his noble court) (1955): 1 liter Rajamäki brand akvavit, 20 mL vermouth and 20 mL gin. (In the first two editions of the book a somewhat absurd amount of 10 mL of akvavit was printed.)
• Juomanlaskija -magazine (5/2000): 500 mL dry, unflavoured alcohol, 20 mL sweet vermouth and 10 mL gin.

Trademark

The rights to the trademark Marskin ryyppy belonged to Mikkelin Klubi for a long time. In the year 1995 they rented the rights to produce Marskin ryyppy to a British company Allied Domecq

Allied Domecq

Allied Domecq PLC was an international company, headquartered in Bristol, UK that operated spirits, wine, and quick service restaurant businesses. It was once a FTSE 100 Index constituent but has been acquired by Pernod Ricard.-History:...

, for whom the drink was made by Lignell & Piispanen in Kuopio

Kuopio

Kuopio is a city and a municipality located in the region of Northern Savonia, Finland. A population of makes it the ninth biggest city in the country. The city has a total area of , of which is water and half forest...

, Finland. In November 2005 Mikkelin Klubi announced that they had sold the trademark to an international beverage producer Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is a French company that produces distilled beverages. The company's eponymous products, Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis, are both anise-flavoured liqueurs and are often referred to simply as Pernod or Ricard...

. The exact amount for the purchase was not made public, but it was said to be "millions of old Finnish marks".

Literature

• Mikko Uola: Marskin ryyppy: marsalkkamme juomakulttuuria chevalier-kaartista ylipäällikön ruokapöytään (Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, 2002) ISBN 951-746-385-5