The Moskovsky blend was created on the basis of French wine spirits by the specialists of the KiN Moscow Winery for the 850th anniversary of the Russian capital. The drink is popular in Russia, export agreements have already been signed with Moldova, Belarus, Kazakhstan.
Enterprise history. The plant was founded before the Great Patriotic War – in December 1940, in Khimki near Moscow. At first, as stated in the name (KiN stands for “Concentrates and Drinks”), the plant produced non-alcoholic products – syrups, fruit drinks and kvass. The profile of the enterprise until 1965 remained non-alcoholic, until the plant became part of the Moscow association “Dagvino” in the form of modernized wine-making workshops producing drinks from Dagestan wine materials. Cognacs began to be bottled only in 1972. And in 1978 the enterprise received a new name – the Moscow plant of Dagestan wines.
During the period of the infamous “fight against drunkenness” in the 80s, when 70% of vineyards were cut down in the USSR, including in Dagestan, the plant switched back to non-alcoholic products and regained the name “KiN”.
The enterprise began to develop actively after privatization in 1994, when the shares became the property of the Bank of Moscow and the Cypriot construction company Trena Com Limited. Already in 1998, KiN bought the first French spirits, and over the past 20 years it has become the largest importer in Russia.
In the case of the enterprise, in addition to Moskovsky, there are three more well-known cognacs – the first drink on French spirits, Alexander Bergerac, branded Kinovsky and Old Town, to popularize which they even released chocolate of the same name.
The only Cognac Museum in Russia also belongs to the KiN factory.
History of the drink
Moskovskaya was created by factory technologists in 1996, but the brand could not be registered at that time, since the Moskovskaya trademark already existed (everyone remembers Moskovskaya vodka at 3.62 rubles, the most popular in Soviet times). Due to brand troubles and unwillingness to rename the product, the plant suffered losses, paying ship fines.
When FKP Soyuzplodoimport received the rights to the Moskovskaya trademark in 2004, the management of KiN entered into an agreement with it: the rights to the trademark were delegated, and the release of the drink was still carried out by KiN. It was unprofitable for the plant, because the profit had to be divided in half, but the management at that moment could not come up with an alternative.
This situation did not last long, already in 2009 the contract was terminated, deciding to abandon the release of Moskovsky altogether. “Kinovtsy” started developing their own brand “Kinovsky”, Soyuzplodoimport transferred the rights to produce Moskovsky to its new partner, a winery in Kaliningrad. And in 2014, the rights to cognac with the KiNu brand were returned and production was resumed.
So far, cognac has no significant awards, but popularity is gradually returning.
Tasting features of Moscow
In the manufacture of cognac, French distillates from the Cognac region and Russian spirits, aged in oak containers from 4 to 7 years, were used. Fortress traditional – 40%. The color is classic, dark amber with golden gleams. Delicate aroma with tart notes of oak bark, sweetness of caramel, light bitterness of chocolate. In the spicy taste, shades of cinnamon, smoked prunes, vanilla are distinguishable. Aftertaste of medium duration with hints of dried fruit.
Like all cognacs, Moskovsky is a good digestif, it goes well with coffee, fruit, sometimes it is served with cheese. But the drink can also be used as an aperitif: the aroma of cognac warmed by the warmth of the hand intensifies and creates the mood for a pleasant conversation.
