Ararat

Ararat is a brandy rather than a whisky. It is made in Armenia by the Yerevan Brandy Company, whose history goes back to the late nineteenth century and which has been owned by Pernod Ricard since 1998.

The brandy is distilled from Armenian grapes and aged in oak casks, giving a rounded, fruity style with notes of dried fruit, vanilla and spice. It is named after Mount Ararat, a national symbol that is visible from Yerevan.

The entry-level bottles carry star or age statements, such as Three Years, 5 Stars, 5 Years Old and 7 Years Old. Older expressions have their own names: Akhtamar 10 Years Old, Vaspurakan 15 Years Old, Nairi 20 jaar and Dvin, which is bottled at a higher strength. Ararat also offers flavoured versions such as Apricot and Coffee.