Vodka of our youth, it is difficult to forget it, because it was of high quality. They made it strictly according to GOST, and not just diluted alcohol with water. And it was relatively cheap. With an average salary of 120 rubles, its price was fixed for the whole country – an average of 2 rubles 62 kopecks.
And you could also return an empty bottle for 12 kopecks, depending on the type and color, plus or minus a penny. If you accumulate containers properly, then you can still take another bottle or check in the store. They drank, oddly enough, very little.
I remember how my parents gathered in a friendly company, played cards, and in between times they could sip a couple of glasses. Never got drunk.
My father undertook to talk about the most popular types of vodka of that time, so I write it down from his words.
Vodka “Capital”
One of the most popular vodkas. In my college youth in 1985, it already cost 4 rubles 12 kopecks. I had a scholarship of 40 rubles, then for some time I received an increased one – already 50 rubles, as a Lenin scholarship holder was awarded a “stipuha” of 70 rubles.
The most popular brand not only on the territory of the former Soviet Union, but also on the world market. I had a chance to try the export version somehow (its letters are written in English). I will say that it is much softer than the traditional one. But it also seems to me that there are fewer degrees in it.
And its promotion was facilitated by numerous films, including foreign ones, where vodka was a permanent attribute at feasts.
Vodka “Russian”
I’m not a great taster. We drank everything that was in the store. It is now from the choice of eyes run up. In our time, what they bring to the store is what they took.
“Russian” vodka was the most popular among the population of the country. “Stolichnaya” appeared relatively rarely on the shelves, it was quickly taken apart in order to be presented later as a present.
I won’t say that the “Russian” was bad, but often there was nothing to take besides her. The taste is quite harsh, when you open the bottle, a pungent smell “kicks” right into your nose. But they didn’t get sick in the morning, they calmly went to work and study, they didn’t have to hangover.
It was produced in “cheburashka” – bottles with a capacity of 0,5 liters with a foil cap. Previously, they were corked with wax plugs, but such vodka was not found in the daytime with fire in our time.
By the way, it was produced throughout the Soviet Union, in almost every union republic. But the price was the same, it cost 3 rubles 62 kopecks, after the increase – 5 rubles 12 kopecks.
Vodka “Wheat”
As soon as it appeared in stores, everyone immediately perked up. Many have already made moonshine, which is often set on wheat. It turned out excellent and high-quality alcohol, which was not inferior to Stolichnaya.
But the experiment failed. Most likely, the worst varieties of wheat were taken for production. I drank “Wheat” with difficulty, fusel oils were in excess, the smell was very unpleasant.
As I said, there was not much choice in the store. Therefore, I had to take it, although it cost much more – 5 rubles 13 kopecks.
Its only advantage was a screw cap, already a revolution in the Soviet alcohol industry.
Vodka “Ambassadorial”
I tried it only once at some regular banquet in the Ural restaurant back then in Sverdlovsk (today Yekaterinburg). To say that she inspired me is not the right word. This is the highest quality vodka of Soviet times.
As a sommelier would say, taste, astringency, softness, aftertaste – everything is on top. It was not for nothing that it was called that – it was produced in limited quantities, was available only to high-ranking officials, and was mainly exported.
It cost, oddly enough, 4 rubles 42 kopecks. I remember how they overpaid for it on the “motor” (taxi), the price was 25 rubles at night.
Too bad it’s no longer being produced these days.
Vodka “Siberian”
Why it was called “Siberian” is not clear. Maybe because the most courageous people live in Siberia, it was for them that they released vodka with a strength of 45 degrees.
When we first saw her, and in some local storehouse in the Mamsko-Chuysky district (Irkutsk region), we immediately decided to take it for a test. To be honest, one bottle was enough for 4 healthy men.
It is believed that Stalin invented it for polar explorers. It was made from double-distilled alcohol with the addition of purified river water.
In addition to her, there was also vodka with a strength of 50 and 60 degrees. But I’ll tell you about them next time. What, in your opinion, were other varieties of Soviet vodka that deserve recognition? Maybe you can tell your own story?
*Alcohol abuse is bad for your health!