As of 1 January 2021, Roust UK Ltd will operate as a full-service distributor and will directly manage customer relationships and the supply chain to the major Grocers. The company will sell direct to the major Grocers whilst working with Paragon Brands to manage distribution to the Impulse, Wholesale and the On-Trade channels. The reason why Russian vodka tastes so good is partly due to the country's soil composition. It provides the perfect environment for growing grains and potatoes, the base ingredients for most Vodkas. Created by combining state-of-the-art distillation techniques with time honored traditions and crafted using the finest ingredients of winter wheat and water of glacial origin, Russian Standard Vodka is the benchmark for excellence in the homeland of vodka." A spokesperson for Co-op said: “In response to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces and as a sign of solidarity with the people of Ukraine we’ve taken the decision to remove from sale Russian-made Vodka."

Chris Jones, Founder and Managing Director of Paragon Brands, said: ‘It’s a great privilege to be working with the exceptional Roust portfolio of brands during this new chapter of their evolution in the UK. The whole Paragon team look forward to working on Roust’s enviable collection of some of the world’s most recognised vodka brands.’ Roust is the world’s 2nd largest vodka producer and owns a portfolio of multi-award-winning brands, which are testament to Roust’s commitment to producing superior quality liquids. If you want your vodka to make a statement, it's hard to beat Putinka. Named after Vladimir Putin, it is one of Russia's most popular brands. In the rest of the world, on the other hand, it's a lesser-known, low-priced tipple that has the distinction of being one of the few – possibly only – widely-available liquors to be named after a land-grabbing dictator (Medvedeff, named after Putin's successor, Dmitri Medvedev, didn't make much of a splash outside of Russia. Or, really, in it). Roust will manage the import and distribution of the Roust portfolio in the UK which includes premium, iconic vodka brands Russian Standard, Żubrówka and Green Mark.So if you're not going to base your Russian vodka choice on flavor, what should be the most important consideration? The label, of course! In most cases, your fellow vodka drinkers will make up their minds about the liquor in question before you break the tax stamp. So, given that this is one case where the book will most definitely be judged by the cover, here are a few key brands – and the message that they will send your guests and your hosts when you bring them to the table.

Since 2015, Roust has partnered with William Grant & Sons UK Ltd to manage the distribution of Russian Standard, Green Mark and Żubrówka vodkas across Off and On-Trade channels. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the country has suffered widespread damages and loss of life amid a major bombing campaign. For decades, Smirnoff was one of the top vodka brands, even drawing the attention of James Bond, who used it in his famous "shaken, not stirred" vodka martinis. Unfortunately, between over-licensing its name (Smirnoff Ice, anyone?), and lowering its quality, Smirnoff has done pretty much everything in its power to debase the brand. If you bring Smirnoff to a friend's house, keep the bottle in a bag until about two hours after the party begins. Then, once everyone's tastebuds are suitably anesthetized, start subbing it in for more premium brands. Russian vodka is the spirits-world equivalent of fine French wine," says Anthony Baker, a veteran of such bars as New York's The Aviary and The Grill. "You can just assume they do it better," he says. "So it's what I choose when I want to bring the best vodka I can bring."All over the world, people associate Vodka directly with Russia. That's why some brands jumped onto this and created bottles that sound like their Vodka is Russian-made when it's actually not. Of all the vodkas reviewed for this article, Smirnoff has, by far, the most impressive history. Originally founded in the 1860s, it once controlled two-thirds of Russia's vodka market. When the Tsar nationalized the industry in 1904, the Smirnovs sold their factory; later, after the revolution, they left the country, setting up shop in Europe and, eventually, in the US. One of the best-known brands that appear Russian but are not is Smirnoff. Smirnoff started in Moscow but relocated ages ago. It belongs to the British beverage company Diageo and is produced in Illinois, US. [ 3] The notion of a "Russian standard" for vodka is a little silly. After all, we're talking about a country where going on a five-day, alcohol-driven bender is somewhat socially acceptable. During Gorbachev's famous vodka ban, the "standard" drinking options included moonshine, window cleaner, cologne, insecticide, wallpaper paste, and pretty much anything else that contained alcohol or could fermented to produce it.

Green Mark is a quality Russian Vodka brand named after the old standard for Vodka - the Green Mark. The seal warrants that this spirit is of high quality, guaranteed by the government. Brett Forrest (12 December 2006), "The Great Vodka Taste Test", Vanity Fair, archived from the original on 28 November 2010 , retrieved 25 December 2010

During the course of the war, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has remained in Kyiv, despite the Ukrainian capital being subjected to a barrage of bombing. Recently named the world’s best vodka by the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI), Stolichnaya’s Elit Vodka is an ultra-lavish vodka that screams luxury; from the elegant bottle design to the velvety mouthfeel and touch of sweetness on the palate.

a b Evseev, Anton (21 November 2011). "Dmitry Mendeleev and 40 degrees of Russian vodka". Science. Moscow: English Pravda.Ru . Retrieved 6 July 2014. Russian Standard Vodka is the World’s Number 1 premium Russian vodka with global sales of over 3.6M 9L cases. In the UK, Russian Standard is the Number 2 vodka brand selling over 1 million 9L cases. The Russian Standard portfolio includes flagship vodka brand Russian Standard Original and premium products Russian Standard Gold and Russian Standard Platinum. In a 2006 overview of Russian premium vodkas for Vanity Fair, the "Imperia" product stood alone with a top A+ grade. [6] Production [ edit ] Smirnoff has its roots in Russia. Its distillery was founded by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov in Moscow in 1864. But after the Russian Revolution the brand was sold and moved to the USA, as vodka production in the then Soviet Union was nationalised. Now owned by Diageo, Smirnoff vodka is produced around the world, including the UK and Ireland, but not in Russia. Jonathan Ashworth, who will head up the new Roust UK organisation, commented, “I would like to thank William Grant & Sons UK for helping advance the growth and momentum of our portfolio in the UK allowing us to develop this hybrid approach to distributing our brands. With the major Grocers representing a significant part of our UK business, we will be focusing Roust UK’s attention in this sector, while working with Paragon Brands to manage our other key customers.”The Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) described Elit by the following qualities: “Clear color. Aromas of sweet mascarpone, nut brittle, and flint with a satiny, crisp, dry light body and a smooth, buoyant lemon custard and a hint of herbs and pepper finish. An outstanding silky-soft vodka for martinis.” We agree. One of Smirnoff's main rivals in the UK vodka market is, or perhaps was, Russian Standard vodka. Supermarkets have pulled Russian Standard from shelves, due to the brand's links with Russia, where it is still made, in St Petersburg. Dermot Davitt (13 November 2008), "Russian Standard reveals grand ambitions to become a global force in premium vodka segment", The Moodie Report, London: Moodie International, archived from the original on 22 July 2011 , retrieved 22 November 2011 Nora FitzGerald (24 February 2006), "High-end vodka is keeping spirits up", The New York Times , retrieved 25 December 2010 His actions have been met by harsh economic sanctions, bans from competing in major sporting events, and countries moving away from using Russian oil.