Stolichnaya Vodka 1.75L

Stolichnaya, often shortened to Stoli, traces its roots to the Moscow State Wine Warehouse No. 1, established in 1901 to set a new government standard for vodka quality in Russia. The modern recipe was developed by Soviet specialists in 1938, and the brand went on to become the standard bearer of state vodka production throughout the 20th century, later gaining fame in the West through a Cold War-era trade agreement that made it the first Soviet vodka sold in the United States. Following the collapse of the USSR, the brand's international trademarks were acquired by private owners in the 1990s, and after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the company rebranded as Stoli and shifted its production entirely away from Russia to Latvia.

Stoli is distilled from a blend of Russian-grown winter wheat and rye, brewed into a mash and distilled into a highly refined neutral spirit before being transported to the historic Latvijas Balzams distillery in Riga, a facility built by order of the Tsar in 1901. There, the spirit is blended with local artesian well water and filtered four times, passing through quartz sand, Russian birch wood charcoal, and fine cloth to achieve its characteristic smoothness. The finished vodka is bottled at 40% ABV.

The nose is flinty and mineral, with notes of charcoal and cracked black pepper. On the palate, that same peppery spice is joined by a slight sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel, along with hints of aniseed, licorice, and citrus. The finish carries a lingering, faintly sweet pepper note alongside grainy aniseed and a trace of charcoal.