Bid made for official Russian vodka definition

A Russian politician has called for the production process of Russian vodka to be legally defined, despite fears this will “deal a blow” to the industry.

Russian politician Sergey Furgal has called for an official classification of Russian vodka production

Speaking to Russian newspaper Izvestia, Liberal Democrat Sergey Furgal said that currently the country’s definition of vodka is “too broad” and its production process should be more closely classified.

He said that while “real” Russian vodka should be distilled from natural products such as grain, spirits that are created through a hydrolysis process are also currently counted as Russian vodka.

According to another publication Russia Today, the current Russian national standard describes vodka as a “clear colourless liquid with a characteristic vodka smell without impurities and admixtures” and does not mention the details of the production process.

“It is necessary to adopt a standard, clearly defined in legislation, of what is vodka, and what is an alcoholic solution,” Furgal, who is also a member of State Duma’s health committee, told Izvestia.

“If the manufacturer calls its product ‘vodka,’ then it must have been created by alcoholic fermentation and distillation. If it was created by hydrolysis, it must then be called ‘hydrolytic alcohol solution.’ ”

Furgal added that he understood this was a “very harsh measure” that could “deal a blow” to the Russian vodka industry, but that it could ultimately help protect Russian vodka “as a brand”.

As such, Furgal has drafted a law to officially define the production of Russian vodka. However, Vadim Drobiz, director of the Centre for Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, said that vodka made from the hydrolysis alcohol does not occupy a large part of the market.

The proposal follows the so-called “vodka wars” between the traditional European vodka belt and other countries in the EU over the definition of vodka, with states such as Poland and Russia calling for vodka production to be restricted to cereals, potatoes and sugar beet molasses.

Over recent months, some brands of Russian vodka have been boycotted by western retailers in response to the country’s conflict with Ukraine.