Armenian cognac has always had a good reputation in Soviet Russia. He was loved by all the leaders of the Soviet Union, from Stalin to Gorbachev. And the collapse of the USSR did not affect relations, the best proof of this is the Kremlin Award cognac, which in 2010 became the official drink of state-level meetings in the Russian Federation. The fact that the drink was created for Russia is evidenced both by the name and the design of the bottle created in France: its shape with rays diverging from a round medallion in the center resembles a Kremlin star.
The drink is produced by the Yerevan Brandy Factory “Ararat”. The blend consists of nine spirits of different exposure – from five to fifteen years. Distillates are obtained from authentic grape varieties – Voskehat, Mtskhali, Garandmak.
The history of the enterprise began in the post-war 1948, when the leadership of the USSR decided to reorganize the wine and cognac factory created by the famous Shustov. From one plant they made two – cognac from wine-making. Over time, the Yerevan Winery began to expand its range and created serious competition for the cognac factory. When perestroika broke out with Gorbachev’s “Dry Law”, the enterprise had difficult times. In 1991, Armenia withdrew from the USSR, and two cognac productions in the capital seemed unprofitable to the management, so the work of one was suspended. In 2001, the plant was privatized by a prominent businessman and philanthropist Garik Tsarukyan, who made it part of the MultiGroup concern.
In 2002, reconstruction began, the workshops were completed, new lines were created, Italian equipment was brought in, and a cooper’s workshop was equipped, in which barrels are made from Caucasian oak. And most importantly, they began to restore the traditions of cooking. For this, family archives and recipes were studied. The renovated plant began work in 2004 and since then has only been increasing the volume of cognac production, which is now sold in all countries of the post-Soviet space.
The brandy factory’s hallmark and its leading brand was the Noy collection, which attracted the attention of the Russian leadership. Having assessed the quality of the drink, the company was included in the list of exclusive suppliers of the Kremlin.
Characteristics of cognac “Kremlin Award”
Although, according to Armenian traditions, cognacs are served as an accompaniment to lunch dishes, “Kremlin” is recommended only as a digestif, sometimes it is combined with coffee and chocolate. Serving temperature +18-20 °С.
- Kremlin Award, 7 Years Old (40%). Brandy of golden amber color with vanilla-nut aroma and dark chocolate taste. Long almond aftertaste with astringency of oak.
- Kremlin Award, 10 Years Old (40%). Dark amber with golden reflections cognac with caramel flavor and barely noticeable astringency. In a mild taste, hints of dried apricots, almonds and orange peel are noticeable. Long honey-tobacco aftertaste. The drink in 2011 received a gold award from ProdExpo.
- Kremlin Award, 15 Years Old (40%). Brandy rich tea color with reddish highlights. Fruity aroma with notes of vanilla and dried cherries. Harmonious taste with hints of dried apricots and almonds, the drink is characterized by a long warming aftertaste with a tart aftertaste.
- Kremlin Award, 20 Years Old (40%). Amber-fire drink in 2011 received the highest award “ProdExpo”. Multifaceted aroma with chocolate-nutty notes. Chocolate taste with hints of dried apricots and vanilla, soft almond aftertaste.
