The design work is impeccable: on a black matte background, a glossy lacquered wolf muzzle enlarged to the size of the label with a pair of animal eyes glowing in the dark, from which you can’t take your eyes off. A bottle of the Tambov Wolf looks so simple and expressive. But you can also purchase a gift option – a drink in a vessel cast in the shape of a wolf. This design is not to be confused, vodka is remembered immediately, even before tasting.
At the heart of the closed joint stock company is the oldest enterprise in the Tambov region and the only one currently producing strong alcoholic beverages in this region. Founded in 1904 on the site of a state-owned wine warehouse, the plant was reconstructed several times, renamed, partially changed its profile, switching to the production of low-alcohol drinks and kvass during the period of attempts to introduce the “Dry Law” under Gorbachev, but retained its reputation and stocks of spirits.
After the collapse of the USSR, the privatization of state-owned enterprises was not easy.
In 1992, the Tambov distillery and the Morshansky distillery were merged to create the Tambov distillery Talvis OJSC.
In 2005, Talvis became part of the SPI Group, and the main efforts were directed to another plant of the group of companies, which produces up to ten thousand decaliters of alpha alcohol per day.
In 2008, the Tambov distillery suspended work due to the expiration of the license for the production of alcohol.
In 2009, the Talvis company sold the non-working enterprise, along with the rights to brands (including the Tambov Wolf), to the Belstar-agro black earth agricultural holding for 120 million rubles.
In 2010, the Tambov Distillery became a structural subdivision of a closed joint stock company.
In 2011, according to statistics, 76% of the shares of the Volkovsky distillery belonged to Belstar-invest CJSC, and the rest to the company’s general director Sergei Fedyakov.
In 2012, 4 years after the loss of the rights to operate in the production of alcoholic beverages, the management of the Volkovsky distillery obtained a license. All this time, negotiations with the Federal Service for the Regulation of the Alcohol Market did not stop.
In 2013, the owners sold the structural unit of the distillery, since then the joint-stock company has consisted of one enterprise – a distillery.
According to Vadim Drobiz, director of the Center for Alcohol Market Research, difficulties with permits for the production of alcohol arise regularly. The fact that the license was nevertheless obtained, according to the expert, indicates the quality preparation of documents by the owners and the support of the regional administration, which is interested in the regional enterprise as a source of income for the local budget.
Production features
Vodka is purified at the Silver Filtration plant, which uses silver-treated granular activated carbons from coconut shells.
Bottling of drinks is carried out on three automatic lines – a filling and capping uniblock of a rotational type, a rotating viewing machine, a labeling machine, their production capacity is 6 thousand bottles per hour. A line has been created for bottling souvenirs.
There are 11 brands in the company’s case, the most famous of which is Tambov Wolf, Tambov Wolf, Tambov Muzhik, Tambovskaya are also popular.
Characteristics of vodka Tambov wolf
Tambovsky Volk (40%) is a crystal-clear classic drink with a mild honey aroma, grainy notes on the palate and a warming aftertaste. Vodka is served chilled to 4–6 °C with all dishes of Russian cuisine, with vegetable snacks and meat delicacies.
