Cognac "Shahnazaryan" can be safely attributed to the category of elite alcohol. He is the pride of the wine and cognac house of the same name. Although the enterprise is quite young, it has already gained fame not only in our country, but also abroad.
Cognac at this factory began to produce in 2005. To ensure that the company never needed a raw material base, new vines were planted. The area of ​​vineyards is about fifty hectares. Already in 2013, the Armenian brandy “Shahnazaryan” was recognized as the best in its category. At the moment, this wine-cognac house is one of the five best producers of strong alcohol in Armenia.
Production Features
“Shahnazaryan” cognac is produced exclusively from alcohols, which are prepared only from certain grape varieties, such as Garandmak, Mskhali and Rkatsiteli.
Immediately after harvesting the berries are sent under the press. Moreover, special pneumatic equipment is used, which does not crush the bones, but leaves them whole. Thanks to this method of spinning, the taste of the drink turns out to be quite soft and pleasant. At the end of the process, the juice is allowed to infuse for about 6-8 hours. And only after that the fermentation process begins in special containers.
For distillation, a classic Charente distillation cube is used in this plant. The first stage of distillation lasts an average of 8-10 hours. Second distillation of time takes a little more, from ten to twelve hours. After the separation of the tail and the head, the alcohol strength is 68–72 percent. The resulting cognac distillate is sent for aging in oak barrels. The “age” of some alcohols is 25–30 years. Only seasoned spirits go into the blend.
Awards and Achievements
In the wine and cognac house, they not only honor traditions, but also greatly value their employees. Cognac "Shahnazaryan" is prepared by the best craftsmen of Armenia. The main winemaker of the enterprise - Vardan Vardanyan is an authoritative Armenian master. It was he who in 2013 received the title of "Best Winemaker."
Reviews about “Shahnazaryan” cognac are extremely positive. It is especially important that not only ordinary consumers, but also international experts speak well of the drink. A huge number of awards received both at home and abroad speak for themselves.
“Shahnazaryan” factory is a member of the Union of Brandies of Armenia. On the territory of the enterprise there are quite extensive cellars in which old spirits are stored. They were collected throughout Armenia for a long decade, and now there are quite valuable specimens in the collection of the trading house. Moreover, there are so many rare oldest alcohols here that the company occupies a leading position in this indicator.
Demand for Shakhnazaryan products is constantly growing, and with it the share of export drinks is growing. Moreover, alcohol is sold not only in the countries of the former Union, but also in Europe.
Further development
The main direction of the company is the creation of elite cognacs. At the moment, the plant has three main brands - “Gayason”, “Shakhnazaryan” and “Pearl of Armenia”. There are a lot of items in the assortment of the trading house, starting from the usual ordinary “Shahnazaryan” cognac for 5 years of aging, to exclusive collection items produced in limited lots.
Prices for the products of the plant are quite affordable, the quality of drinks is very much higher. This also played an important role in raising the rating of the enterprise.
Types of alcohol
Although the plant is relatively young, it already has its own audience of fans, whom the company's technologists have repeatedly pleased with new, original types of drink. In 2017, several items with special taste and aroma went on sale. These include:
- "Shahnazaryan Premium".
- “Armenian mosaic”.
- "Black Montan."
- Silver Montan.
Each of the positions found its buyer. Fans of quality alcohol quickly take these drinks off the shelves.
Cognac price
Despite the stability of production of “Shahnazaryan” cognac and its constant expansion, the cost of drinks is still directly dependent on certain external factors. These include the region in which the drink will be sold, the level of the store, taxes and much more.
But the main factor that affects the price is always the exposure of the product. On average, a half-liter bottle of such Armenian cognac will cost from five hundred to seven hundred rubles. But under certain circumstances, it can reach one thousand two hundred rubles.
How to identify a fake
Unfortunately, the issue of counterfeiting also affected the products of the Shahnazaryan house. This is not surprising, because most popular brands are faked most often. So a fan of this strong drink should learn a few rules:
- The original drink will always have an elegant bottle, but without elaborate elements. It must be tightly corked tightly.
- The label is always flat and neat. Do not reassure yourself that this is a factory marriage, this does not happen. No glue residue. Clear and understandable inscriptions.
- You need to pay attention to the type of content. Cognac color is always distinguished by a special amber glow. The presence of sediment or turbidity is unacceptable.
Five year old cognac
One of the most common is “Shahnazaryan” cognac 5 years old. It is distinguished by a rich expressive golden amber color with copper tints. It has a glossy surface. “Tears” form on the walls of the glass; they are quite large, well-defined, and drain slowly.
A pronounced deep, voluminous bouquet of aroma harmoniously combines oak tones with notes of hazelnut. In the background is cigarette smoke with a slight hint of vanilla.
The fruit flavor is very rich, voluminous, harmonious, but at the same time soft. At the first moment, the pear is clearly felt, which smoothly turns into a red grapefruit, complemented by light notes of lime. In the background, aged oak notes feel good. In a noble, long, trailing, slightly astringent aftertaste, sweet vanilla is heard.
Seven Year Old Beverage
Shahnazaryan cognac 7 years is also very popular. Its bright amber color is beautifully complemented by golden-orange highlights. Legs form on the walls of the glass. They are quite frequent, slowly flowing down, persistent and even, sometimes separate drops form.
The aroma is pleasant and at the same time very moderate, not annoying, the smell of alcohol is completely absent in it. It has an original aldehyde hue, against which green apples, ripe cherry plum and white sweet flowers such as acacia or meadowsweet are very original. When the aroma is fully opened, dried apricots, juicy light raisins, woody oak and cypress are clearly manifested in it. Vanilla, light notes of cinnamon and benzoic styrax are heard in the background.
The taste is quite expressive, it has a pleasant sweetness, but there is no viscosity characteristic of such drinks. The main note is a woody shade, for example, light oak or balsamic poplar. It is complemented by the tone of the shell and partitions of the walnut, somewhere far away you can feel dried apricots and prunes. And there are also honey-vanilla shades.
The aftertaste is unobtrusive with woody-nutty notes and subtle shades of beeswax. And also in the background is heard apricot kernel, apricot and vanilla.