Top management



The Founder of
Multi Group Concern
Gagik TSARUKYAN
a Member of National Assembly of Armenia
a Member of Standing Committee on Defence,
National Security, and Home Affairs
Chairman of “Prosperous Armenia” party
President of the Olympic Committee of RA,






ABOUT YEREVAN ARARAT
BRANDY-WINE-VODKA FACTORY


Noble drinks are like children: they cannot live a single minute without their parents. Armenian brandy is not an exception. Its mother is the blessed soil of Armenia with its famous vineyards, and the “midwife” is YEREVAN ARARAT BRANDY-WINE-VODKA FACTORY, the oldest and the main manufacturer of the most well-known Armenian brandies.
And if we do not tell about the father, it will mean to ignore the memory of those great wine-makers who worked so hard for so many years to create the wonderful drink “Armenian brandy” by name. The father’s name of Armenian brandy is Nikolay Shustov. Armenian brandies possess bright properties of their own. The factor that effects the individuality of Armenian brandies, is the observance of exact technologies of brandy production combined with the centuries-old traditions of Armenian viniculture.
The objective of YEREVAN ARARAT-BRANDY-WINE-VODKA FACTORY is to reveal the secrets of true Armenian brandy and make it attainable to those who appreciate the majestic flavour and aroma of legendary drink of the Biblical land - Armenia.
Noy brandies are direct heirs of Shustov’s brandies. Since 2002, this noble beverage regained the feeling of own dignity, national pride, tradition and beauty.


HISTORY




Erivan Fortress was built by Persian Farhad Pasha in 16th century. Commodity and vegetable markets, bath-houses, crafts stalls and the mint were all located here.

The fortress was used by Persian khans as a cultural centre and a domestic site. Around the fortress several mosques were built. All this area occupied most part of the town.

Numerous legends, stories and events are connected with the fortress. But in 1853 it was ruined by an earthquake, and later, in 1865, it was purchased by merchant of the first guild Nerses Tairyants.










Nerses Tairyants was a well-known merchant and philanthropist. In 1877 he started industrial production of wine, in 1887 - of brandy. The idea to set up a wine-vodka factory was suggested to Nerses Tairyants by his cousin, Vasiliy Tairov, who used to be a distinguished wine-maker in Odessa and editor of the “Bulletin of Winemaker” magazine. The famous painter H.Aivazovsky, who was a relative of Tairyants, helped him to build the factory.
In 1877 Tairyants took up the production of wine and ten years later- of brandy.







In 1898 Nerses Tairyants leased the factory to Nikolay Shustov, who purchased it a year later for 50,000 roubles.
Having established his own business in Moscow in 1863, N.Shustov became one of the first producers of brandy. Already in 1870-s “Shustov and Sons” company managed to take into its hands 80% of brandy-wine-vodka-liquer production in Tsar Russia.

In 1901 Nikolay Shustov incognito sent samples of brandy to an exhibition in Paris. The judges, venerable French tasters, unanimously granted Gran Prix to the unknown wine-maker, but after they found out he was not French and the brandy was sent from Armenia, they were so astonished, that made an exception for Nikolay Shustov and granted him the privelege to put the word “cognac” on his labels, instead of “brandy”, as it should naturally be.





Thus, Shustov became the first and the only foreign wine-maker all throughout the history of brand- producing, who was honoured with this privelege.
In 1912 Tsar Nikolay II tried Shustov’s brandy at a testing competition and highly assessed the unique quality of the brandy, and Shustov’s company was honoured to become the chief Supplier of the Russian Emperor’s Court.

In the beginning of the last century the company was awarded with numerous prizes and gold medals for highest quality of the alcoholic drinks produced, and the foundation of the world fame of the Armenian brandy was laid. And the bell became a symbol of “N. Shustov and Sons” company.




Mkrtich Musiniants was one of the greatest experts in production of brandy. He finished school of wine-making in France, Montpellier, afterwards, in 1892, was invited to the factory by Nerses Tairyants.
In 1902 by classical technology of Musiniants production of “Fin Champagne Selected” brandy started.
Due to the efforts of Musiniants before the World War One, 35 per cent of brandy spirits, produced in South Caucases, was made in Yerevan factory.
In the world rating the factory hold the sixth line after the leading French producers. In 1920 Mkrtich Musiniants became the director of the factory, and in 1928 he was appointed the mayor of Yerevan.




In 1899 Shustov invited Kyrill Silchenko, who had just finished Nikitin’s school of winemaking, to work at the factory. He worked at the factory devotedly and dedicated all his life to the development of production of wine and brandy. This is why Armenians called him “a great Ukrainian son of Armenian people”.






During the years of the Great Patriotic War Margar Sedrakyan was the head technologist of the factory.
The period when Margar Sedrakyan worked at the factory, was called the “Star Time”. It was then that the most famous Armenian brandies, based on his technology, were created. In 1945 at a conference in Yalta Stalin offered Churchill a glass of Armenian brandy. Since then experienced in noble beverages British leader each month would receive a box of that brandy from Stalin.
Once Churchill noted that the taste of the brandy had changed a bit – it became worse. Stalin’s reaction was immediate – having learned that Margar Sedrakyan, the author of this blend, was exiled, the Soviet leader ordered to set him free, to reinstate in his position of chief technologist of the factory and to give him back the party ticket. So the Prime-Minister of Great Britain continued to receive his favourite brandy and drink up to a bottle of this beverage in a day. Later Margar Sedrakyan received the medal of a Hero of Socialist Work.




In 2002, YABWVF entered Multi Group Concern, gained a new owner and felt a master’s hand.
Some 50 million USD were invested into restoration and constructions, acquisition of new bottling line and oak barrels.
A number of recipes and technologies were restored by crumbs.

With the help of old papers, museum exhibits, family archives, specialists and technologists of the factory assembled and classified the whole invaluable experience, accumulated throughout the period of plant’s functioning, and, consequently, the lost and forgotten glorious name of ARMENIAN BRANDY.






BRANDY TOURS, SAMPLING


YEREVAN ARARAT BRANDY-WINE-VODKA FACTORY invites you to become witnesses of the birth of the famous Armenian brandy “Noy”.
During the tour our guests visit distillation department, cooperage department, the museum, wine cellar, where they taste our old wines and we finish our tour with tasting our brandies.
We organize tours from Monday to Friday (9.00-4.00) by making appointments beforehand. The tour duration is 1-1,5 hour.
You may reserve an excursion on the phone:
(+37410) 54 34 05, 54 70 48


MUSEUM


On the territory of the factory, in the place of the old Shustov building there is a museum with really invaluable exhibits.
The complete history of the development of the factory is shown here.

On the first floor you can see samples of “Noy” brandies, as well as the collection of them that has been on Mount Ararat.
On the second floor there are corners of Nerses Tairyants, Nikolay Shustov, Mkrtych Musiniants, Kyrill Silchenko and Margar Sedrakyan.

There are also archival documents, different tools and utensils gathered in the museum, that were used in the factory at the beginning of the previous century, collection of wines (unfortunately “dead” already) of the 1920-s bottling, charters and diplomas awarded during the whole history of the factory and many other things.




The guests of YABWVF can also see old underground passages – catacombs, that have been preserved in the wine cellar since the times of Farad Pasha.





PRODUCTION

White and pink kinds of Mskhali, Voskehat, Kangoun, Garandmak, Rkatsiteli grapes are used for the production of “Noy” brandies. The use of a small quantity of red kinds with white pulp is possible. ”Noy” brandies are very popular and sought after. They have been honored with high rewards at international exhibitions.


Brandies NOY ARASPEL



Brandies Noy Araspel 3*, 5*.
The name of brandy – Araspel – originates from an Armenian word, which stands for “myth”, “legend”.
This name attaches some mystery and mystique to the beverage. We devoted our ordinary brandies to the Armenian legend of “Ara the Beautiful and Shamiram”, telling about love of an Armenian king and Assyrian queen.
Noy Araspel brandies are created on the basis of successful blending of young brandy spirits.





Brandies NOY CLASSIC

Brandies Noy Classic 7, 10, 15 and 20 years old are among the best products of this category. They are named in the honour of classical architecture of Erivan Fortress, restored by architect Rafael Israelyan.
In the result of splendid blending of old brandy spirits, this brandy may be called the national treasure. “Crystal clean“ bottle exactly symbolyzes the quality of this exquisite beverage.
Noy Classic has a dark-golden colour and enchanting bouquet of ripe fruits with mild tones of almond; it is distinguished by rich and soft taste with measured roughness.
The power and purity of flavour of this brandy are fully disclosed when its temperature is slightly above 20°C. This noble brandy is to be offered at the end of the meal. The average age of brandy spirits is, respectively, 7, 10 15 and 20 years.


Brandy NOY TIRAKAL



Brandy Noy Tirakal, 25 year old, is named in the honour of Noy, who after the Flood, having descended from the Biblical Ararat, planted the first vine in Ararat valley.
Since then, the wine-growing and wine-making began in Armenia. This divine brandy is made by blending of more than 25 old brandy spirits.
It possesses transparent, dark-amber colour and rich flavour with velvet tone of nutmeg and old portwein, which cares the palate, leaving pleasant and long after-taste.
Brandy Noy Tirakal is a unique and all-sufficient drink. However, it superbly goes with dessert, fruits, tea, coffee and cigars.


OUR PARTNERS

"LUDING" LTD - RUSSIA
TOO "Shah-Treading" - Republic of Kazakhstan
"Lyudi Vin" - Kyrgyzstan
"Kon-Rad spol." s.r.o. - Slovakia
"Armexim" LTD - Bulgaria
"Geomedi" LTD - Georgia
"A.G. Ararat Alco" LTD - Cyprus
"Lac Products" LTD - USA
"LUDING" LTD - RUSSIA