Yerevan brandy factory
When visiting the capital of Armenia, you should definitely look into the Yerevan Brandy Factory. The building is built of pink tuff of different shades, traditional for these places.
History
It seems that there is no more traditional drink for Armenia than Ararat cognac. And it really is. A brandy factory appeared in Yerevan at the end of the 19th century in 1894, a few years later it was bought by an enterprising merchant Nikolai Leonidovich Shustov. It was he who actively contributed to the popularization of the local fortified drink. In 1900, Armenian cognac was presented at the World Exhibition in Paris and received a gold medal and worldwide recognition there. It was the beginning of a brilliant journey, and the very first significant award, there were a great many of them later.
Shustov came up with a kind of "advertising campaigns". He hired students of theater schools, and they went to large drinking establishments and made loud scandals there if there was no Ararat brandy available. The bagel was interested, the owners of the taverns ordered a drink at the factory.
There is also a story associated with Dvin cognac and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Allegedly, a box of cognac was sent to him from a factory in Armenia on a regular basis. Once it seemed to him that the taste of the drink had changed and he was not too lazy to write about this to Stalin himself. In just a few days, the chief technologist was declared an "enemy of the people" and sent to prison. But after that he nevertheless returned to the workplace, and his taste returned to cognac. There is no evidence for this legend. Only excellent taste of cognac.
At the end of the 20th century, the Yerevan brandy factory "Ararat" was privatized by a French company, much has changed since then. But the basics of production can be preserved to this day.
Museum
There is a museum on the territory of the plant, where you can learn more about its history, see portraits of famous people who have been here. Almost every region of the country is involved in the manufacture of Armenian cognac. Somewhere unique grapes are grown, somewhere oak barrels are made for its aging, in another place pomace and blend are prepared. The more valuable and expensive the drink is for every inhabitant of the country. You can see all the processes using a video projector.
There is a hall in the museum, in which in 2001, by the OSCE mission, a barrel of 1994 alcohol was planted. It happened on the occasion of a truce in Karabakh. There are other commemorative barrels - autographed by the first president of Russia - Boris Yeltsin, and also signed by the current Vladimir Putin.
The museum is connected with the production of a glass wall, behind it you can watch how barrels with a valuable drink are stored. Tastings are held at the museum. And this is a great opportunity to get to know the assortment of the Yerevan Brandy Factory better, but it is important to remember that brandy is a strong drink. And the on-site shop offers a wide selection of a variety of cognacs. At nice prices.
