Moscow Special Vodka is a brand developed in 1894 in pre-revolutionary Russia. At that time, the composition of the drink included only alcohol and water, but in 1936, to soften the taste, the recipe was supplemented with sodium bicarbonate (that is, ordinary baking soda) and acetic acid. A distinctive feature of the brand was that it was produced on rye alcohol (2-3% impurities of other grain crops were allowed).
Historical information
It was the first patented alcohol in Russia, and the patent belonged to the government, that is, Moscow vodka was a state monopoly. The first name of the drink is “Table wine 40 °”.
There is a legend that the “father of Russian vodka” himself, D.I., had a hand in the creation of Moscow Special vodka. Mendeleev, but this is only a myth. Mendeleev was engaged in mixing alcohol with water for other purposes, ingestion by the great scientist was not even considered.
In 1924, already in the Land of Soviets, the brand was called “Moscow Special”, later the last word was changed to “special”.
The peak of the production of Moscow Special Vodka occurred in the post-war period – by 1965 the drink was sold not only on the domestic market, but was also exported to Europe. The Soviet Union positioned “Moskovskaya” as a high-quality drink of European quality, head and shoulders above its competitors, respectively, and this vodka was sold in the highest price segment. Nevertheless, in our time, the brand belongs, rather, to the budget segment.
Trademark rights
Today, Moskovskaya is one of two Russian vodkas (the other being Stolichnaya) that have been awarded international awards and repeatedly won gold at independent exhibitions. The trademark belongs to FKP Soyuzplodimport, but the international concern SPI Group also claims its rights to it.
As a result of litigation between the two companies, SPI was banned from selling Moskovskaya and Stolichnaya in Germany. This is a significant loss for the concern, because. Russian vodka is popular in the European market, especially in Germany, Spain and Italy.
The brand can be easily recognized by its characteristic green label with a gold border, the design of which has remained virtually unchanged for more than a hundred years. In 2019, Soyuzplodimport released an export version with a label in English.
Features
Moscow Special Vodka is a crystal clear liquid with a light aroma of white pepper, anise and peppermint. It has a mild taste and is easy to drink, despite the 40-degree strength. In the aftertaste, minty freshness and a slight peppercorn are felt. Tasters note that the product is devoid of an unpleasant “fusel” aftertaste.
The green color of the label symbolizes the naturalness of all ingredients.
How to drink Moscow Special Vodka
“Moscow Special” is drunk in the same way as any other vodka – except that it is not necessary to cool it down much, since the drink does not “tear the throat” even at room temperature.
Due to its softness, this vodka is most often served neat, but it can be used as a base for cocktails.