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One day, my father-in-law and I went to a liquor store. A small family feast was planned, for which it was necessary to properly prepare. Father-in-law turned several bottles in his hands and shook his head, saying that alcohol was much better in the Soviet Union.
What alcohol was produced in the USSR and where
I asked my father-in-law what, in fact, did people drink in the Union? A seemingly harmless question, the answer to which was a whole lecture that continued all the way from the store to the house.
The first thing a relative remembered was port 777. Everyone drank it – from young men to the elderly. Apparently, this was influenced by the low price – 3,4 rubles. It was produced at the Azerbaijan winery. In fact, it was fortified wine, which, by the way, can still be found on store shelves.
My cousin uncle sometimes buys these “three axes” from old memory, but every time he disappointedly calls it “mumbling” and “swill”. In general, they say that 777 is no longer a cake.
Rkatsiteli was a quality Georgian wine, which cost 2,5 rubles. It was produced by Gruzvinprom from the grape variety of the same name. It was especially valued for its lush rich aroma, which many liked.
Vodka Moscow Special – one of the most popular in the Union. It cost 4,1 rubles. Produced by Rosspirtprom. It was called special because of the addition of baking soda and vinegar to vodka, which gave it a specific taste.
Interesting fact! In the first years of Soviet power, alcohol was banned as a relic of the bourgeois past.
What alcoholic drinks produced in the USSR were supplied abroad
“Listen, did anything go for export from the Union, in terms of alcohol?” I asked my father-in-law, realizing that we would have a long conversation. My father-in-law liked to remember the glorious Soviet past.
Of course it did! Behind the cordon, Stolichnaya vodka was especially appreciated. It was delivered to almost all European countries. With us it cost 4,4 rubles, and foreign citizens had to buy it many times more expensive.
Armenian cognac “Dvin” was also very appreciated by foreigners. Some say that even Winston Churchill drank it. It cost us 3,5 rubles.
Many Crimean and Georgian wines also went abroad. They loved our Black Sea drink there. For example, “White Muscat of the Red Stone” was delivered straight to the table of the English queen in the 60s.
It could be bought from us for 6,7 rubles, and I don’t know how much it cost in the west.
Could all the alcohol produced in the USSR be tasted by ordinary people – citizens of the Union
“We produced a lot of things,” the father-in-law said with a sad sigh, “However, not everything reached the shelves. For example, do you know that there was Soviet rum? Nothing worse than Cuban, by the way. It was produced according to the classical technology from sugar cane, but I don’t know why it didn’t reach the stores.”
Another type of alcohol that few people have heard of is creams. They were rowan, chocolate, raspberry and others. Not very strong, 20-23%. What to take from them – dessert drinks.
Liqueurs were also rare among us, except for chassis liquor from The Chronicle of a Dive Bomber. This one was common among the people, but some Benedictine, father-in-law says that he has never seen it in stores. And he traveled around the country at one time!
“And how do you know about them then, if they were not on the shelves?” I asked.
“Yes, a winemaker friend gave me a little book in the old days. There it was said about all the rare alcohol of the USSR, however, the prices were not indicated. Probably not to scare people.”
What alcoholic drinks during the Soviet era could only be tasted abroad
“About foreign alcohol,” the father-in-law continued, “we learned mainly from sailors. A ship has entered France, some captain in Odessa will boast that he drank Triple Sec liquor (Triple Sec).
The ship returned from Mexico, and now in Arkhangelsk they are licking their lips at the Kahlua liquor (Kalua), which the navigator managed to drink.
They meet a cargo ship that has returned from Great Britain, and the smell of Baileys has not yet disappeared from the sailors.
Our craftsmen, of course, could fake any kind of alcohol, but still, little can compare with the original. Therefore, the common people only had to envy the sailors and diplomats.
In general, for a long time my father-in-law and I talked about alcohol from the times of the USSR. I learned a lot of new things for myself. Maybe you know something about alcoholic beverages of that era? Did someone bring something from overseas business trips? I’m sure it was an unforgettable event.
Dear readers, remember that alcohol abuse harms your body. Take care of yourself!