Ararat cognac: history, overview of taste and types

For 130 years, the Ararat brand has been embodying the traditions and impeccable quality of Armenian cognac. The product range of the plant is extremely diverse. At the moment, the products are exported to 40 countries, and the annual turnover is up to 8,000,000 bottles!

Cognac history of Ararat brand

It all started in 1887, when the first guild merchant Nerses Tairianets wanted his sphere of influence to become a little wider. In this regard, they bought vineyards in the area of the village of Erivan Fortress. The first cognac produced at the new plant was named Fin Champagne in French. Twenty years of successful activity have paid off - the plant was a profitable and profitable business. Retiring from business, Nerses sold it to Nikolai Shustov at a very favorable price.

Can you imagine a young couple of aristocrats or noble officers sitting in the best establishments of Tsarist Russia, loudly demanding a "bottle of Shustov cognac"?? After all, this is how the brilliant merchant Nikolai Shustov "promoted" his brand.

Stickers on carts and hired actors are not all. The apogee of development was the victory at the prestigious cognac competition in Paris, where the products of the Shustov plant took first place. The well-deserved award "Fin Champagne Selected" opened the doors to many European countries for the company.

The events of 1917 and forced nationalization became a new era in the development of the enterprise. The Shustov cognac factory was renamed the Ararat cognac trust. And in the late 50s, it completely moved to a new building.

After the collapse of the USSR, the Ararat plant did not remain in state ownership for long. In 1998, the famous company was bought by the French brand Pernod Ricard.

Secrets of preparation and types

The pride of the Armenian land is made using ancient technology. Local grape varieties are used to make the brandy - Bananz, Chilar, Voskeat, Kakhet, and Garandamak. This is the key rule.

The initial stage is the process of vinification of grapes. The resulting material is subjected to distillation to isolate cognac alcohol. After the substance is formed, it is sent for aging. Traditionally, the cognac product is aged for at least 3 years. Aging containers - oak and enamel barrels with oak riveting.

After assembling the matured spirits, blending is performed. In the process, syrup and sugar coloring are added. The final stage is the bottling of the resulting liquid into oak barrels for 1.5-3 years for final aging. Ready to be bottled, the cognac is treated with cold and filtered.

The most popular types of Ararat cognac:

1. Ararat 3, 40%

2. Ararat 5, 40%

3. Ani, 40%

4. Selected, 40%

5. Akhtamar, 40%

6. Vaspurakan, 40%

7. Nairi, 40%, and

8. Armenia, 45%

9. Ararat 25 years old, 40%

10. Erebuni, 40% alcohol

11. Dvin, 50%, 50%

Taste characteristics and classification

Armenian cognac is produced in three categories. Each variant has its own production and flavor characteristics:

1. Ordinary Armenian cognac

   A drink that is aged for 3 to 7 years. In the process of assembling, the alcohol acquires a light amber and golden yellow hue.

2. Vintage

   Alcohol aged from 7 to 20 years. Storage in an oak barrel gives the drink special flavors: notes of tobacco, pine needles, and honey are felt. Final shade - citrus flavor, soft aftertaste. The color of the cognac is darker than ordinary. There are several subcategories: KV - cognac aged up to 7 years; OS - very old, more than 20 years; KS - old cognac, 10-20 years, as well as KVK - cognac aged of high quality (up to 10 years).

3. Collectible

   Made from vintage Armenian brandy by additional aging for 3 years. This is the strongest type, in the taste of which you can guess the notes of hazelnuts, dried fruits and cloves. Like vintage, it can have several subcategories - KV, KVVS, KS, OS.

If you want to enjoy cognac from the Ararat brand, we recommend taking a closer look at the 2nd and 3rd categories of drinks, these are the categories that truly reveal their "soul" to the alcohol connoisseur. And don't forget that this alcohol is usually enjoyed in small sips. You can find other traditions of cognac drinking here.

Update: 12.07.2018

Category: Brandy and Cognac