Cognac has long been an integral part of our life - we invent new cocktails and combinations, carefully choose cognac as a gift, we enjoy its taste and aroma. But do we know so much about him?
The editorial staff of the Fancy Journal decided to go deep into the history of this amazing drink and find the most amazing facts about it. As it turned out, the Armenian cognac contains a lot of interesting secrets!
FROM AYVAZOVSKY TO NIKOLAI
The legendary Russian marine painter has left behind not only amazing pictures, but much contributed to the emergence of Armenian cognac, which Russians love almost more than the French. In 1887, Aivazovsky gave money to merchant Nerses Tayryants for the construction of the first fumigating shop and for the foundation of the cognac production in Armenia. In 1898, Taiyants
sold his plant to Shustov, but in gratitude for the help the merchant always sent Aivazovsky cognac.
By the way, did you know that it was only in Russia that you took a bite of cognac with lemon? The appearance of this unusual custom for the whole world is connected with Nicholas II. It is interesting that one can find almost a dozen contradictory legends regarding the appearance of this custom, but all of them are somehow connected with the Russian emperor.
The first legend says that in 1912 Shustov treated Nicholas II with a full-fledged glass of Armenian cognac in front of dozens of people. In order not to show weakness, the emperor asked for a slice of lemon. After overturning a glass and biting a lemon, the king winced, but who would dare to suggest that from the strength of the drink? Another legend tells us another story: Nicholas II, who was very fond of cognac, came up with a way to quietly enjoy the drink, without raising suspicions from his wife. The emperor asked servants to serve him cognac in a small teapot, and next to put a saucer with lemon wedges. Soon this "tea drinking" became incredibly popular!
WE DO NOT LOSE HIS LIKE IT
At the end of the XIX century, all European vineyards were destroyed by grape aphids or phylloxera. Alas, the vineyards could not be saved - farmers had to breed new varieties of grapes that are resistant to the phylloxera.
Only in one region the vineyards survived completely - the mighty mountains surrounding the Ararat valley did not allow the phylloxera to get close to the priceless vineyards. That is why the Armenian cognac can boast such an amazing taste - the grapes of the Ararat valley has properties that are practically lost in the rest of the world.
FROM PICASSO TO RANEVSKY
Desperately scolding Gertrude Stein, guests who brought cognac from Moscow to the salon, Pablo Picasso recalled how he managed to confess to his companion that he divided all the women into "goddesses" and "floor mats." And, the legendary artist attributed the interlocutor to the second category ... By the way, it was for a glass of Armenian cognac that Picasso agreed to participate in the production of the ballet "Parade" for Sergei Diaghilev.
In 1924 Maxim Gorky had an Italian period. The writer easily could carry a longing for his homeland, living in his villa Il Sorito in Sorrento. But only from one he could not refuse - from the fragrant cognac ArArAt. And having visited a brandy factory in Yerevan in 1928, Gorky uttered a thought that later became an aphorism: "Yet it is easier to climb to the top of Ararat than to get out of the ArArAt's cellars.
Friends sharp in the language of Faina Ranevskaya, someone decided to play a trick on the actress and poured into a bottle of expensive French cognac Armenian. Looking at the bronze reflux of the drink, enjoying its smell and emptying the glass, Ranevskaya declared: "This is divine! What an amazing substitute! "
SAVING PEOPLE AND DIPLOMACY
During the bold Arctic Expedition of 1937, which nearly cost the lives of the participants, ArArAt cognac played an outstanding role for science. Especially for the expedition, a special brand of brandy was created. Alas, freighters did not manage to enjoy the taste of cognac - they had to distill it to alcohol, in order to preserve the unique specimens of the animal world found in the Arctic. The creative approach has helped science, but it's terrible to imagine with what words brave forwarders have transferred a unique drink to shrimp, even three times unique!
For the first time, Churchill tried the Armenian cognac during the Yalta Conference. The British Prime Minister fell in love with "Dvin" from the first glass, refused Hine and for many years received 400 bottles of cognac every year, even during the Cold
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