|
STOLICHNAYA is a world-famous Russian brand, a national treasure and an integral part of Russia's image, the only Soviet premium vodka that has become one of the first global brands and one of the world's major sales leaders.
For eight decades of its existence, STOLICHNAYA vodka has achieved impeccable reputation and many admirers all over the world, as well as it has become a standard of genuine Russian vodka.
In every drop of this legendary drink you can find rich history, the best traditions and the highest quality confirmed by the choice of consumers and the recognition of experts.
The history of STOLICHNAYA brand began in the Soviet Union in 1938, when the best masters of the Soviet alcohol and vodka industry, among whom V.G. Svirida (future chief of GLAVSPIRT of the Ministry of Food Industry of the USSR) is particularly noteworthy, developed the recipe of vodka of exceptionally high quality. The product was developed under the personal supervision of Minister Anastas Mikoyan, who supervised trade and food industry in those years. The first lot of STOLICHNAYA vodka was released in Leningrad under the siege (now St. Petersburg) in 1941, and its mass production began two years later - in 1943.
Special attention should be paid to the history of creation of a worldwide known label of STOLICHNAYA vodka. Its author was an employee of Sojuzprodoformlenie industrial complex, a painter V.A. Yakovlev. The picture placed on the label (borrowed from A.Joganson’s sketch drawn in the café at the National hotel - at the corner of Gorky Street and Marx Avenue (now - Tverskaya and Mokhovaya Streets) demonstrates hotel “Moskva” constructed in 1936 by architect A.V. Shchusev.
STOLICHNAYA vodka design was very different from designs of other domestic vodkas of that time, and has become the only item of Soviet goods referred to in the book “All about packaging” by Thomas Hein, as an outstanding example of design of a spirit.
STOLICHNAYA has become, in fact, the first premium brand in the Soviet Union and has quickly gained its popularity. In 1953 the leading country’s distillery - Moscow distillery “Crystal” launched its production. And just in a year’s time STOLICHNAYA vodka was recognized internationally, having won in “blind testing” over such a famous brand as Smirnoff.
STOLICHNAYA had no analogues worldwide and got high appreciation from Western experts. The global recognition of STOLICHNAYA vodka is confirmed by gold medals and the Grand Prix at the international competitions and fairs in 1958 (Brussels), in 1963 (Leipzig), 1969 (Pardubice), in 1971 (Plovdiv).
Production volumes of STOLICHNAYA vodka grew steadily and by the end of 1969 amounted to 115 mln litres.
In 1969 Stolichnaya trademark was registered in the name of V/O Sojuzplodoimport.The real “glory hour” for STOLICHNAYA vodka came in the 70s of the XX century, when between V/O Sojuzplodoimport (USSR) and the American company PepsiCo (USA) a contract was signed. Those were the years when export supplies of STOLICHNAYA vodka began in the USA and a large-scale advertising campaign was launched to promote Russian vodka in the American market under the famous slogan: “Only vodka from Russia is genuine Russian vodka”. This campaign entered the history of world marketing as one of the most aggressive and successful ones.
Since 1985 STOLICHNAYA trademark has been recognized as well-known in the Russian Federation. And by the end of 1980s of the XX century, the volume of vodka sales under STOLICHNAYA trademarks reached almost 20 million cases, 3 million of which were exported, and it became the world's leading spirits brand, becoming a leader of the most prestigious rating of the world's spirits brands – 100 International Top Spirits Brands.
STOLICHNAYA vodka started its second life in 2001 with the return of a range of famous Soviet vodka brands under state control. Maintenance and development of state trademarks have become one of the priority tasks assigned to Federal Treasury Enterprise Sojuzplodoimport established in the same year.
Today, STOLICHNAYA vodka is confidently striding to the future, its sales are increasing every year, while FKP Sojuzplodoimport still closely monitors the quality of vodka produced in Russia in accordance with the highest Russian and international standards.
Today STOLICHNAYA is made under the original author's recipe, of the best selected raw materials: Lux ethyl alcohol distilled from high-quality Russian grain, specially prepared water from the purest artesian sources and white sugar. Each STOLICHNAYA vodka label unalterably contains words “Russian vodka”, which is a protected designation of origin, indicating that the vodka is produced exclusively from Russian raw materials and according to traditional technologies, distilled and bottled in Russia.
Classical purification technology, with indispensable multi-stage filtration through the purest quartz sand and birch charcoal, ensures compliance of STOLICHNAYA vodka with the highest Russian and international quality standards.
Soft and velvety taste has made STOLICHNAYA vodka famous, allowed it to become the Russian premium brand No. 1 in the world.
Most of modern vodkas try to repeat the unique taste of STOLICHNAYA vodka, which has become a standard of the genuine Russian vodka.
AWARDS
- 1958 – Gold medal at the international exhibition in Brussels;
- 1963 – Gold medal at the international exhibition in Leipzig;
- 1969 – Gold medal at the international exhibition in Pardubice;
- 1971 – Gold medal at the international fair in Plovdiv;
- 2008 – Gold medal at the international tasting competition “Best Vodka of the Year” in Moscow, Russia;
- 2012 – Grand Prix in the tasting competition “Best Product 2012” at International Exhibition for Food, Beverages and Food Raw Materials PRODEXPO 2012 in Moscow, Russia;
- 2013 – Gold medal at the 20th International Exhibition for Food, Beverages and Food Raw Materials PRODEXPO 2013 in Moscow, Russia;
- 2014 – Grand Prix in the tasting competition “Best Product 2014” at the 21st International Exhibition for Food, Beverages and Food Raw Materials PRODEXPO 2014 in Moscow, Russia;
- 2014 – Grand Prix in the international professional, tasting competition of food and beverages “Product of the Year 2014” at the Worldfood Moscow Exhibition in Moscow, Russia;
- 2015 – Grand Prix in the tasting competition “Best Product 2015” at the 22nd International Exhibition for Food, Beverages and Food Raw Materials PRODEXPO 2015 in Moscow, Russia;
- 2017 – Grand Prix in the tasting competition “Best Product 2017” at the 24th International Exhibition for Food, Beverages and Food Raw Materials PRODEXPO-2017 in Moscow, Russia;
- 2018 – the Prodexpo Star, 20th International Tasting Competition at 25th INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION FOR FOOD, BEVERAGES, FOOD RAW MATERIALS "Prodexpo 2018" in Moscow, Russia;
- 2020 – Gold medal in Best Premium Vodka category, Gold medal in Eco-Style special category, Gold medal in New-technology special category, Grand Prix of the 1st International Tasting Competition of vodkas, spirits and alcohol «EURASIA SPIRITS DRINKS» in Moscow, Russia.
Back
|