The unaged liquor Vodka-making is a legacy of the Russians and with the launch of two new vodkas in the Indian market—Russian Spirit and Kruto—MIR Spirits is aiming to change the way the world sees, drinks and experiences vodka.
By Kalyani Majumdar; Published in Liquid magazine; March-April 2014
These days anyone engaged in charged-up conversation uttering either “Ukraine” or “Russia” is most certainly talking about the current political crisis that has engulfed the two countries. But at Liquid we are referring to these two countries from a very different context, and however “volatile” our discussion may be it is merely incidental to the alchemical nature of our subject. One could guess by now that we are talking about none other than the post-modern drink—vodka.
The Indian consumers are well aware of their vodkas and India is already a lucrative market for some of the leading and well known vodka brands such as Absolut, Grey Goose to name a few on the list. And to keep up with the Russian adage There cannot be too much vodka, there can only be not enough vodka the Indian vodka drinker is always happy to get more brands to choose from. This year with the launch of Russian Spirit and Kruto, Indian vodka drinkers have every reason to rejoice. During the launch of the two vodka brands Roman Tallis, President of Russian Spirit Inc. said, “India is an exciting market in the global scheme of things. With its pre dominantly young population, we thought what greater tribute to this wonderful country than to globally launch Russian Spirit and Kruto here. Both our brands set new product benchmarks in their respective categories. It is not a surprise that the response so far has been nothing less than fantastic.” MIR Spirits, importer of Russian Spirit Inc. in India has brought these two vodkas that are created from 300-year-old Russian recipes combined with the finest wheat grains from the ecologically pure region in Ukraine.
The distillation process involves and activates carbon filtration practice which ensures the highest level of purity, desired pH balance and clarity of taste. These grains are then used to create rectified ethyl alcohol. This is meticulously distilled before being combined with untouched water sourced from an aquifer 800 metres underground. Next, the spirit undergoes filtration through activated birch charcoal—as early as the eighteenth century the Russians have been filtering and purifying the alcohol with charcoal—Ural mountain quartz and polypropylene filter that is only one-micron wide. And finally, the alcohol is run through a pure gold membrane filter. This important step enriches the vodka with gold ions. After this absolute fanciful and delicate vodka-making ritual it would be a travesty if this creation is not drunk in the good old Russian fashion—neat. Na Zdoroyve!
Russian Spirit
For anyone who is aware of vodka, one must know how difficult it is to express this limpid liquid that is devoid of colour, bouquet, aroma and other high-nosed characteristics that one experiences while drinking its darker-oaken cousins. At the blind vodka tasting session it helps if one follows the rules of what other alcoholic tasting sessions demands, but in reverse in order to figure out the superior or premium vodka, reason being in case of vodka the purer the vodka the more colourless, odourless and tasteless it would be. Hence it is recommended that one must drink Russian Spirit neat and non-chilled so that it is a revelation when, as it makes its way through the mouth till it hits the throat, one is surprised by its smooth finish and warm and silky entry with an almost non-existent bite (it does not burn) which is a rare trait in vodkas that are available in India. The bottle that encapsulates this 15 times distilled vodka is of frosted glass with a portrait of Peter the Great himself on one side and St Petersburg on the other side. It is believed that during the times of Peter the Great drinking in Russia had reached unprecedented levels which was probably because the great reformer needed considerable financing for the development of his country and since alcohol drinking was legalised money by way of tax was rolling in through vodka sales. Unlike other popular brands from the West providing flavoured vodkas, Russian Spirit does not align to that idea as it is not how the Russians drink their vodka. And, keeping alive that tradition Russian Spirit is available in its pure nonflavoured state. With a price tag of only `3,500 for a 750ml bottle—available only in Mumbai for now, but soon it will be available in Delhi and other major cities—it is a liquid that you might like to introduce yourself to.
Kruto
In Russian the word Kruto means cool and the packaging of Kruto vodka exemplifies youthful vibrancy—the frost glass bottle with fiery red band mentioning Kruto signifies the self-indulgent generation. The Kruto Original Vodka is distilled nine times for a smooth, delicate spirit that has a touch of floral and toasted honey notes from the wheat, great to be used as a base in cocktails. Priced at Rs 1,850 for a 750 ml bottle, it is available presently only at select retail outlets in Mumbai. To celebrate the advent of Kruto we have some refreshing summer cocktails to try out and beat the heat with a contemporary twist.
Kruto Summer Cocktails
Sour Apple Martini
Ingredients:
- 50 ml Kruto vodka
- 15 ml Monin green apple
- 60 ml Apple juice
- 10 ml Lime juice
- 8 nos Fresh mint leaves
- 1 no Fresh green apple (Garnish)
Method: Add all ingredients along with punctured mint leaves into a Boston shaker over ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with thin slices of sour green apple.
Apple Currant
Ingredients:
- 50 ml Kruto vodka
- 15 ml Crème de Cassis/
- Monin currant
- 60 ml Apple juice
- 10 ml Lime juice
- 10 nos Fresh mint leaves
- 6 nos Black grapes
Method: Combine all ingredients in a Boston shaker with muddled mint. Shake and double strain into a studio rock glass over ice. Add black grapes and a lime wedge as garnish.
Watermelon Martini
Ingredients:
- 50 ml Kruto vodka
- 1 slice Fresh watermelon
- 1 no Lemon
- 8 nos Fresh mint leaves
- 10 ml Monin watermelon
Method: Muddle fresh watermelon, mint and lemon wedges in a Boston shaker. Add Monin and Kruto. Shake well with ice and double strain into a chilled Martini Glass. Garnish with a thin slice of watermelon.