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Alexey Rodionov (right), son of Boris Rodionov, who found an 18th century book with the historic Polugar recipe, and Ruslan Bragin of Rodionov and Sons at Middle East Exclusive 2013 |
Beyond Russia few people have heard of polugar, or “˜bread wine’, the historic drink that pre-dates vodka. Private distiller Rodionov and Sons is hoping to change that, and is eyeing the travel retail market as a key channel for its recently-launched Polugar range.
Boris Rodionov, the founder of Rodionov and Sons (previously Russian Distiller), revived a centuries-old technique to create a range of single malt rye products based on an 18th century recipe. The products were launched three years ago under the Polugar brand name and include Single Malt Rye Polugar, Classic Rye Polugar and Wheat Polugar – all bottled at 38.5% abv.
Rodionov and Sons was one of two alcohol suppliers at this year’s Middle East Exclusive (MEE) exhibition in Dubai, which took place from 18-20 November at the World Trade Centre. Following the event Sales & Marketing Director Ruslan Bragin said he expects Polugar to be sold in Dubai Duty Free next year.
“I expect Polugar in Dubai Duty Free in April 2014,” he said. “All of their buyers were very interested.”
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From top left (clockwise): Polugar No. 2 Garlic & Pepper; Krivach 61; Single Malt Rye Polugar and Classic Rye Polugar |
While polugar is well-known in its home market, there is little awareness of the products elsewhere. Rodionov’s products are distributed in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, France, Singapore, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
The Polugar range is available in Sheremetyevo International Airport and St Petersburg Pulkovo Airport duty free locations. It will be available at Saipan International Airport from early 2014.
In domestic markets, Polugar products are available in high-end shops including Hedonism Wines (Mayfair, London), LMDW Fine Spirits (Odeon, Paris), Vininova (Poznań and Warsaw), Dom Whisky (Warsaw), Hediard (Moscow), Globus Gurmet (Moscow), Gartronome No.1 @ G.U.M. (Moscow) and Dylan Decanter (Riga, Latvia). They are also sold in restaurants and hotels in Russia (Moscow and Saint-Petersburg), the UK (London), Poland (Poznań and Warsaw), Lithuania (Palanga) and Ukraine (Kiev).
The flavour of Rodionov’s Polugar is said to be unlike any alcoholic beverage that is currently produced with a natural bready taste and aroma. The bread aroma can be re-created by pouring some of the vodka onto the hands, rubbing them together vigorously for a minute until hot and then inhaling the aroma left behind.
Polugar means ‘half-burned’ in Russian, in reference to the method that preceded alcohol meters to test the strength of the alcoholic drink. When two portions of the liquid were boiled until there was just one portion left or when the drink was half burned off, it was called ‘polugar.’
The grain distillate made from rye wheat was the alcoholic drink consumed by Russians during the time of Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, Pushkin, Dostoevsky and Chekhov. That changed in 1895 when the Tsar introduced a state monopoly on alcohol production, forbidding the traditional production of polugar in copper stills in favour of the then-new technology of distillation columns – the same technology used to produce vodka today.
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Prior to 1895, vodka was a grain drink distilled in copper pot stills like single malt whiskey |
To this day, legislation forbids the traditional style of grain distillation in Russia, so Rodionov and Sons produces its Polugar products in a distillery in Poland.
Polugar is made from grains including rye and natural water and produced in a copper pot still similar to single malt whiskey. Instead of ageing the alcoholic drink in oak barrels, the makers use a technique involving natural egg white, which preserves the taste of the raw materials and gives the drink an aromatic rye flavour.
In addition to the Single Grain Range, Polugar also has The Infused Range, which includes Polugar No. 1 Rye & Wheat (with a bready aroma of home baking), Polugar No. 2 Garlic & Pepper, (baked garlic and hot pepper), Polugar No. 3 Caraway, (a rich bouquet of Borodinsky bread) and Polugar No4 Honey and Allspice (aromatic pepper and meadow honey).
For a stronger, more masculine taste, Krivatch 61 is a premium rye single malt bottled at 61% abv. Its “˜younger brother’ Krivatch 41 has a soft, light, fresh aroma with honey-flower tones, light maltiness and sweet notes of chocolate and hard-boiled sweets.
Rodionov’s Polugar products are priced for premium positioning at US$50 per 500ml. For more information, visit the Rodionov and Sons Private Distillery website.
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Rodionov and Sons’ private distillery in Poland |
