Alkon

Alkon Distillery (ОАО «Алкон») is a Russian company which produces various alcohol products, vodkas, nastoykas, nalivkas and balsams. The company is one of the oldest distilleries in the country, founded in 1897.

History
The manufactory was founded in 1897 by Ivan Korsakov, aware that native citizens of ancient Novgorod were reputed for great skills in producing excellent vodka, which amused overseas connoisseurs of alcoholic beverages since 13th-15th centuries. Taking advantage of the water quality of Lake Ilmen and other water sources that surround Veliky Novgorod.

"The storehouse" has been producing Russian vodka by the times of the World War I. After that production and selling of vodka to the public was forbidden.

In the year of 1925 the manufactory was again renamed, this time into Novgorod Distillery No.5, and joint with Staraya Russa and Borovichy Distilleries.

During World War II, the distillery suffered major damage. The reconstruction of the destroyed manufactory began in July, 1944; few months later production of 40% ABV vodka in casks began. Ffront 100 grams" were sent to military units.

The wine storage and wine department with a capacity of 600 thousands of decaliters were opened in 1960. The range of beverages was more than 60 products (red wines, brandy, liquors) prepared from natural raw material purchased in France and Spain. Wine warehouse was built in 1964, bottling department – in 1966.

In 1992 the manufactory got the status of Public corporation and a new name PLC Alkon.

In 1996, Alkon, together with the Dovgan protected manufacturing company established a special program which helped to effectively protect beverages from counterfeiting. For implementation of this program the distillery mastered the production of new elite vodka assortment under the Dovgan trademark.

Sergey Yurievich Bobryshev has been CEO of Alkon since 2007.

Production
The majority of operating production lines were projected especially for Alkon. The new high-tech equipment allows to improve constantly the material processing, bottling of product and quality control as well as to protect manufactured goods from counterfeiting.

Alkon has an industrial-engineering laboratory. It is one of the few certified and independent testing laboratories in Novgorod region. Laboratory employees maintain control on all the stages of product manufacturing components.

Brands

 * Vodkas: Veliky Novgorod, Novgorodskoe Veche, Alkon, Tysyatskaya, Posadskaya

Awards
Vodkas Veliky Novgorod, Novgorodskoe Veche, Novgorodskaya Osobaya; nastoykas Novgorodskaya Yubilejnaya, Sadko, Lubava, Charodejka; liquor Lada, balsam Drevnerussky were awarded with prizes of international exhibitions Autumn wine fair in Saint Petersburg in 1995 and 1996. In 1996 Alkon was awarded with the prize of MONDE SANS FRONTIERE association (France) - Golden Bunch, for the participation in its program "Vintners. Partnership for the sake of progress".

Literature

 * 1) Бобрышев Ю.И., Золотарёв В.В., Ватковский Г.И., Гагарин М.М., Смирнов А.П. История винокурения, продажи питей, акцизной политики Руси и России в археологических находках и документах XII-XIX вв.  — М. : Кругозор-наука, 2004. — p. 160. — ISBN 5-900888-18-5.
 * 2) Романов С. История русской водки  — М. : Вече, 1998. — p. 448. — ISBN 5-7838-0202-6.
 * 3) Сергиенко Н.Н., Бобрышев Ю.И., Никулин Ю.А., Мазалов Н.В. Смирнов А.П. Русская водка  — М. : Издательство фирмы «Кругозор», 1998. — p. 364. — ISBN 5-900888-05-3.
 * 4) Новгородский винно-водочный завод. - Историческая справка №477 от 15.07.1992. - Государственный архив Новгородской области.