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Ararat is a brand that embodies the best quality traditions of Armenian cognac. The products of the Yerevan Brandy Factory are exported to more than 40 countries of the world. Of the 7-8 million bottles of Ararat cognac produced, about 5 million are consumed in Russia.
Historical reference. The starting point for the start of the production of Armenian cognac is considered to be 1887, when the merchant Nerses Tairyants wanted to expand the scope of his activities. Heeding his brother’s advice, he acquired vineyards around the ancient Erivan fortress. The factory built for the production of cognac was equipped with Charente alambicas (the same ones are used in France), cellars were equipped. The first cognac received was named in the French manner – Fine Champagne
Twelve years of work were not in vain – in 1899, the Shustov and Sons partnership, which bought the plant, got a completely successful enterprise. By today’s standards, Nikolai Shustov was a genius in marketing and advertising, and he quickly put things on a grand scale.
Promoting products on the market, Shustov resorted to unhackneyed tricks. He hired a group of young actors who came to the best restaurants and portrayed either a young aristocratic couple or a company of officers who were on the loose. Their main goal was to immediately and loudly order a bottle of “Shustov’s cognac” and make a scandal when they were denied it. Fearing to lose customers, the owner of the restaurant, willy-nilly, bought cognac, which was so in demand among the public. In addition, Shustov used all the possibilities of visual advertising, placing the company’s logo on horse-drawn carriages, tram cars, and the sides of steamships.
The apotheosis of success was the participation of the company in the World Exhibition in Paris. To everyone’s surprise, the winner was a bottle of Fine Champagne Choice. The well-deserved award opened up new export prospects for the company and the right to call their products cognac, not brandy. The fame of Armenian cognac spread beyond the borders of the country, and by the beginning of the XNUMXth century, Shustov was already supplying products to the court of Nicholas II.
Mkrtych Musinyants, who studied the intricacies of winemaking in the French city of Montpellier, was invited to the position of chief technologist. The knowledge and experience acquired at the Shustov factory allowed Musinyants to adequately present the new cognac at the international exhibition in Bordeaux and receive an honorary diploma.
The Soviet period in the history of the plant began with the nationalization and subsequent transformation into the Ararat Wine and Cognac Trust. In 1953, the Yerevan Brandy Factory moved to a specially built red tufa building. In the post-war period, the efforts of the famous master Markar Sedrakyan created the legendary blends Dvin, Nairi, Akhtamar.
Difficulties were created by the fact that until the end of the XNUMXth century, Armenian cognac was produced in accordance with GOST. It did not contain clear formulations of what kind of product could be considered “Armenian cognac”. Trademarks of manufacturers were not protected by law, their use was not regulated in any way. The so-called “Armenian cognacs” were bottled at factories in Moscow and Samara and even by small unknown private traders.
In 1998, a new stage in the history of the company began – now as part of the French company Pernod Ricard. A year later, the developed Standard of the Republic of Armenia came into force, regulating all aspects of the production of Armenian cognac.
Grape varieties that grow only in Armenia, aging in oak barrels of various origins – all this contributes to the production of specific alcohols. The main task of the Yerevan Brandy Factory team is to provide high quality products that meet the tastes and preferences of Armenian brandy consumers.
Today, the Frenchman Philippe Thiebaud is responsible for the creation of the legendary Ararat cognac – a recognized authority in his field, who worked for several years as the leading blender in the Martell cognac house.
Awards
Ararat is the first brand to represent Armenia at the reputable international competition of alcoholic beverages in San Francisco. The debut turned out to be successful and brought well-deserved awards to the plant.
World Spirits Competition, San Francisco:
- 2016 – Gold (Ararat Akhtamar) and 2 silver medals (Ararat Nairi, Ararat 5*).
The World-Spirits Award:
- 2017 – 2 Gold (Ararat Ani, Ararart Akhtamar) and Silver (Ararat Nairi) medals.
Berlin International Spirits Competition:
- 2017 – Gold (Ararat Ani) and Silver (Ararat Nairi) medals, a special medal and the title of “Enterprise of the Year” (Yerevan Brandy Factory).
- International professional competition of wines and spirits:
- 2011 – Grand Prix (Ararat Nairi) and victory in the nomination “Best Brand of the Year” (Yerevan Brandy Factory);
- 2012 – Gold medal (Ararat Akhtamar);
- 2013 – Grand Prix (Ararat Nairi), 2 Gold medals (Ararat Akhtamar, Ararat Vaspurakan);
- 2015 – Gold medal (Ararat Collection “Armenia”)
- 2016 – Grand Prix and Gold Medal (Ararat Nairi).
Interesting Facts
One of the plant’s traditions is to present distinguished guests, including presidents, with their own personalized barrel of cognac spirit. Of course, the guests do not leave, rolling it in front of them – the barrel remains in the vault to age further, and a commemorative plaque is fixed on it. At the request of the owners, cognac can be issued at any time. However, no one has yet claimed their rights to the gift, and this makes sense: the longer the cognac matures, the better and more valuable it becomes.
The legendary cognac Ararat sponsors the most striking, original cultural events: film premieres, concerts of young performers, art exhibitions, fashion shows by Russian designers as part of Paris Fashion Week.
Types of cognac Ararat
*Ararat 3, 40%**
Ordinary three-year-old cognac – lively, spicy, with floral and fruity tones and hints of fresh oil and oak. It has an intense taste, slightly burning at the very beginning, with a subtle sweetness of raisins and honey cakes. The bottle is decorated with a relief ornament depicting the symbol of the brand – the Phoenix bird. Good to drink as an aperitif.
*Ararat 5, 40%**
Five-year-old cognac has a pleasant aroma of pears, dried fruit compote, prunes, sweet rolls. Dense, sweetish, slightly burning taste shifts towards apple juice, green grapes, figs. Silky aftertaste with a slight bitterness of apricot kernel. Good as a digestif, it will make a harmonious duet with black coffee or a bar of dark chocolate.
Ararat Ani, 40%
Six-year-old Ani is the first in a series of vintage cognacs of the brand. It is named after the ancient Armenian capital, the first mention of which is found in the annals of the XNUMXth century. The label is decorated with the image of the old city wall and the symbol of the royal Bagratid dynasty – the leopard.
A bottle with a characteristic thickened bottom. Jasmine and acacia, candied orange and sweet almonds are felt in the freshness of the fragrances. Mild taste allows you to consistently enjoy hints of plums, dried apricots, dates, lemon. It can be used as a base for cocktails or as an aperitif.
Ararat Selective, 40%
Cognac demonstrates the heritage of tradition – reproduced according to the recipe of 1902. At the beginning of the last century, the drink was called Fine Champagne Choice and was supplied to the Russian imperial court. Intense color, oily in texture, belongs to the caste of characteristic cognacs. The scent opens with notes of fresh citrus and grapes, then warms with aromas of caramel and spices. The taste is determined by nutty and berry notes.
Ararat Akhtamar, 40%
The drink is named after the island of the same name on Lake Van, which, in turn, was named after the old legend about the unhappy love of Princess Tamar and poor Azat. The blend is made up of 12 aged 10-year-old spirits. Soundly made, it is distinguished by a harmonious and stable aroma, consisting of shades of red apple, coniferous resin, honeycombs. The typical character is manifested in the clarity of the flavor bouquet, in which frosted mountain ash, prunes, bitter chocolate, old oak are felt. Can be served as a digestif or used as a base for layered cocktails.
Ararat Vaspurakan, 40%
An assemblage of selected 15-year-old spirits obtained from grapes of endemic Armenian varieties: Chilar, Voskehat, Garandmak. Dedicated to the memory of master blender Makar Sedrakyan. It is produced in accordance with the new standard, which guarantees the high quality of the drink at the state level. The subtlety of fruity and woody aromas is set off by notes of vanilla and licorice. The range of tastes is determined by milk chocolate, candied plum, walnut. Pairs well with expensive cigars.
Ararat Nairi, 40%
Cognac owes its name to the ancient Nairi kingdom, located on the territory of modern Armenia. Especially valuable spirits aged 20 years were selected for the assemblage. A rich bouquet reveals notes of citrus, dried apricots and spices, beautiful nuances of leather and cigar boxes. Deep fruity taste with hints of vanilla and herbal honey. The drink has a self-sufficient character and is good beyond any connection with the meal. It is better to serve it not in traditional wine glasses, but in special cognac glasses – this way the whole range of aromas is felt more fully.
Ararat Armenia, 45%
Collection cognac, assembled from cognac distillates not younger than 10 years. Additional exposure for three years gives the drink a noble shade of mahogany wood. The bouquet reveals shades of grapefruit with notes of cardamom. Complex, velvety taste demonstrates many shades: honey, white raisins, rum baba.
Ararat 25 years, 40%
Released in a limited edition for a significant date – the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. The blend is based on rare spirits from the factory storage, their average age is 25 years. For a premium-quality drink, a corresponding elegant package, decorated with the image of the state emblem, has been developed.
Cognac has a powerful character and at the same time surprisingly soft. In the aromatic palette, prunes, muffins, walnuts, a slight hint of belt leather come to the fore. The harmony of taste is based on four components: black coffee, ripe pear, nutmeg and vanilla.
Ararat Erebuni, 40%
Thirty-year-old cognac was created from more than 30 vintage spirits, waiting in the wings in the storage of the Yerevan Brandy Factory. The oldest of them dates back to 1934. The name of the exclusive blend is given by the name of the ancient Urartian city, which is included in the list of the nine most ancient fortresses in the world.
Blooming acacia, notes of citruses, candy canes are felt in the bouquet, spicy spices complete the aromatic palette. Sweet nuances of apricot jam, ripe pear, caramel are captured in the taste. The bottle depicts Mount Ararat and the Phoenix bird, which has become a symbol of the brand. The letter “A” in the corporate emblem means Armenia, Ararat and the first letter of the alphabet – the beginning of beginnings and a sign of the highest quality.
Ararat Dvin, 50%
Collection cognac, assembled in 1945 by Markar Sedrakyan. Produced from 10-year-old spirits produced from grape varieties grown in Armenia. In 2011, he returned to the line of the factory again thanks to the efforts of the current blend master Philippe Thibaut.
Surrounded by many historical legends, the most stable of them says that it was this cognac that Winston Churchill preferred for many years, receiving a drink as a gift from Joseph Stalin. It is a well-established fact that the British Prime Minister tried Ararat Dvin and approved it during the Yalta Conference.
The secret of preparation is that after assembling the matured spirits, the drink is sent to ripen in oak buta for another three years. For ordinary spirits, 3-12 months would be enough. But the final aging gives the cognac a noble dark amber color with hints of mahogany, as well as subtlety and richness. The bouquet is a harmonious combination of aromas of carnation, prunes, cigar leaf. Rounded sweetish taste with a bright woody-nutty range: hazelnuts, cherry pits, juniper berries, old oak. Received many awards at international tasting competitions and exhibitions.
