Vodka is one of the words strongly associated with Russia. Being a national alcoholic drink, Russian vodka numbers over 100 brands produced all over the country. No common family celebration is possible without drinking vodka; unless you are under 18 or simply don’t take strong alcohol. Below you will find the information on the biggest Russian producers of most popular vodka brands.

Moscow Distillery Cristall

Moscow Distillery Cristall is one of the oldest distilleries in the country. Its history dates back to 1901, when the plant, the biggest enterprise of its kind then, was built on the bank of Yauza River in Moscow. In the beginning only three brands of vodka were produced at the plant. By 1914 production assortment had extended up to five names: at that time it was producing vodkas «Moskovskaya Osobennaya», «Hlebnoye Vino» (“Grain wine”), «Stolovoye Vino» (“Table Wine”), "Gorilka" and nalivka “Zapekanka” ("Baked pudding"). «Moskovskaya Osobennaya», perhaps, is the most famous kind of Russian vodka developed by great chemist D.I.Mendeleyev.

During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 the plant produced dry alcohol; «Molotov’s Cocktail» was poured into bottles for vodka and wine. After the Victory the plant turned to production of the highest quality beverages for the Kremlin elite. Each bottle that left workshop was supplied with certificate with the list of surnames and personal signatures of experts responsible for its release.

In 1953 the well-known vodka "Stolichnaya" was created at the Distillery. Its inventor was extra-class distiller V.G. Svirida. In 1954 this kind of vodka received the international recognition: at the procedure of "blind testing” vodka "Stolichnaya" won over the well-known trade mark of Smirnoff.

Today Moscow Distillery “Cristall” perfects its collection of strong alcoholic beverages. During the recent years a diversity of new brands produced in a modern, original design was developed. Among them are vodkas “Putinka”, “Prozrachnaya” and “Cristallnaya”, the unique taste of which is obtained due to the usage of famous “Kristallovskaya” water, spirit “Lux” and food additives that impart unique relish and original character to each sort of vodka. These vodkas had already time to win Grand Prix in large Russian exhibitions in 2003 – 2004.

The Distillery’s production is very popular both in Russia and abroad. JSC “Moscow Distillery "Cristall" has a solid position among Russian exporters of alcoholic beverages and exports its production in more than 20 countries of the world.

Rodnik Distillery

Rodnik Distillery founded in 1895 is situated on the bank of the Volga, in one Russia’s most charming surroundings. It produces a wide range of high-quality vodkas and is one of Russia’s five largest liqueur and vodka manufacturers. Its annual output is more than 45 million bottles. Rodnik’s products are reputed and favored throughout Russia and in many other countries such as the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Brazil, Spain, Greece, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Latvia.

Rodnik Distillery was the first Russian company to win prestigious European awards of the Center for European Market Research, which serve as a kind of passport to the global market: Arch of Europe (April 1994) and Certificate of Honour (November 1997).

Excellent properties of the alcohol are ensured by use of the best grain crops. Another important factor that guarantees the excellent quality of Rodnik’s beverages is that the Samara Region is rich with water sources: it has more than 60 national nature reserves with spring-wells. Water used for vodka manufacturing is specially pre-treated and goes through a multistage purification and softening process.

Rodnik products have been given more than 300 awards: they have swept gold and silver medals at every Russian and international trade fair. The key brands produced by the distillery are Zolotoy Rodnik, Rodnik Klassicheskaya and Triumfalnaya.

Beluga Group (former Synergy)

Beluga Group (brand BELUGA GROUP) is a Russian company for the production, distribution and sale of alcohol. Full name - Public Joint Stock Company Beluga Group. In 2020, Beluga Group was the leader in vodka sales in Russia. It owns the VinLab retail chain. The headquarters of the company is located in Moscow.

Altogether distilleries produce about 50 types of vodka of different quality and price groups, two dozens of different bitters and sweet liqueur made on the basis of plants and berries, several types of balsams, including “Ussuriysky Balsam” manufactured with the use of medicinal herbs growing in Ussuriysk taiga. A range of liquors produced by the Company’s plants include rum, cognac, gin, liqueur, as well as wines and other low alcohol drinks.

The names of vodka produced by the company are: Beluga, Az, Russkiy Lyod, Sily Prirody, Belenkaya, and Gosudarev Zakaz. Production of some kinds of vodka requires a lot of time and effort, since technological process of this product creation requires a big deal of manual work, which provides for very careful processing of each element.

The Trading House of the Heirs of the P.A. Smirnov

Since the 1850s Smirnovka was recognized as the genuine Russian vodka. The P.A. Smirnov partnership was the largest alcohol manufacturer producing over 400 different brands of vodka, liquors, infusions and wines in Russia and abroad. Selected crops and spring water secured the high quality of the final product. The spirit used for making vodka went through milk, egg albumen and birch coal purification.

In 1927 the enterprise was closed down, but in 1991 the heirs of Smirnov revived old good traditions of vodka production by establishing the company of “P.A. Smirnov and his heirs in Moscow”.

Today the Trading House of the Heirs of the P.A. Smirnov releases 10 trade marks made in accordance with old-time recipes: Table Wine #21 and various vodkas (cranberry, cowberry, lemon, juniper, etc.). All these products are unfailingly popular and find a ready market.

Tatspirtprom

Established in 1997 in the republic of Tatarstan, the company unites all spirit plants of the republic, 5 liquor and vodka plants and a winery. The wide range of vodkas produced by the company includes AKDOV", "Khanskaya", "Russkaya Valyuta" ("Russian Currency"), "Sabantuy", "Staraya Kazan" ("Old Kazan"), "Kazanskaya Lux", "Kazanskaya Prestizhnaya", etc. The company’s beverages are in favor of Russian consumers in over 50 regions of the country.

For alcohol production JSC “Tatspirtprom” uses grain grown in Tatarstan and outside it. At four plants the processing of raw material is carried out according to the traditional technology of high-temperature cooking. And at the other four plants the technology of low-temperature cooking at atmospheric pressure is introduced.

During the production process water undergoes softening and multiple purification. Activated charcoal of different kinds used for treatment of alcohol-water mixture contributes to the production of beverages of the highest quality.

Read more about Russian Vodka...

Legal advice on Russian legislation

Sources:

    www.kristall.ru
    www.rodnikpremium.ru
    www.tatspirtprom.ru
    www.sygroup.ru
    enc.ex.ru

 

Olga Pletneva