The History of the Ararat Brandy
If you like to get more information about the history and the tradition of the Yerevan Brandy Company and its Brandies, please click on the respective dates.
1887 - Nerses Tairyants founded the Yerevan Wine&Brandy Factory.
The production of the Armenian Ararat Brandy can be traced to the year 1887. The upper guild merchant Nerses Tairyants built the country’s first combined winery and distillery on the site of the former fortress of Yerevan. At a time when all other distilleries merely distilled for their home requirements, Tairyants’ factory was already equipped with two Charente type distillers, distilling spirits according to classical cognac technology. Furthermore the factory possessed specific facilities for the aging of the products.
1892 - New cellar master – Megerditch Musiyantz.
In 1892 Megerditch Musiyantz, a graduate of the Montpellier wine institute, became the mainly responsible winegrower of the distillery. During his time, the production of Brandy and Wine increased significantly. In addition he improved the quality by attaching new grapevines and Brandy cellars.
1898 - Shustow & Sons.
In 1898, the family-enterprise N.L. Shustow & Sons, a very large spirits distributor and a famous merchant-dynasty at that time, began to distribute the Brandy around Eastern Europe. In 1899, Tairyants sold the distillery for 50.000 Rouble to the family-enterprise. Under Shustow the distillery grew further, so that in 1903 already half of the consumed Brandy in Russia derived from Armenia. Furthermore, Shustow was appointed to the official distributor of the Russian Tsar-court and the Russian administration. At that time, Armenian Brandies received gold medals and "Grand Prix" Awards at a host of international exhibitions.
1920 - Armenian Sowiet Republic.
When wineries and distilleries, like all branches of industry, were nationalized in 1920, the Yerevan factory was given top priority by the state, as its brandies were an excellent export good.
1948 - Ausgliederung & Neue Produktionsanlagen.
In 1948, the brandy division was divested to the Yerevan Brandy Factory and as the sole enterprise received the right to produce Armenian Brandy. In 1953, it was moved to an own, representative building, where the brandy production was extended enormously. This impressive facility, outfitted with the latest and best of modern technology at that time was the pride of Armenia. This state-caused monopolist supplied the Armenian state for over 70 years with high tax-revenues.
1990er - Yerevan Brandy Company
After the downfall of the USSR and the reestablishment of the Republic of Armenia, the Yerevan Brandy Factory was deprived of the Brandy monopoly in 1991. In 1993 the enterprise was closed. The larger part of the former state-enterprise became the "Yerevan Brandy Company", which was established as a closed joint-stock company.
1998 - Acquisition through the Pernod Group.
In 1998, the Yerevan Brandy Company was sold to the French enterprise Pernod Ricard, which modernised the facilities and firm structure extensivley. Until today, the factory produces excellent brandies, amoungothers, the most popular Armenian Brandy – Ararat.