A classic Russian vodka, Russian Standard took inspiration from the work of Russia’s most famous scientists Dmitri Mendeleev, inventor of the Periodic Table. Mendeleev’s philosophy on equilibrium helped cultivate the perfect balance between water and alcohol, which underpinned the original Russian Empire Standard set by Tsar Alexander III in 1894.
The brand itself was founded by Roustam Tariko in 1998, and is based in St. Petersburg where the production of the vodka takes place. It was based here because St. Petersburg is located close to Lake Ladoga, and the glacial waters found here contain very few impurities for use in the vodka production. As well as the water, the rich black soil of the Russian Steppes dictated the location of the distillery, as the soil helps the growth of premium wheat used in the spirit. Two years after launching in Russia the brand began an international expansion.