Mystery Booze

July 9, 2009 11:22 AM

What is this bottle of Russian liquor? And where can I get some in the US?

Last night I drank of this bottle of alcohol at dinner: The bottle, Closeup of writing.

All the information I have is that it is a vodka made near the provider's hometown (which I do not know) and that it is infused with herbs. They also mentioned that the distillery might have closed -- in that case, any idea what this type of liquor is called, or anyone else who makes something like it?

posted by j.edwards to food & drink (6 comments total)

It's called "Strizhament". If you Google that you will find that it's a town/mountain in South Russia. The herbs look like they are from "stavropol".

The drink type is "bitter nastoika"

I cannot for the life of me find a photo of it anywhere on the googles, though. My Russian is rusty, hopefully someone will be able to decipher the rest.
posted by ttyn at 11:32 AM on July 9

I found this by searching for gorkaya nastoika (bitter nastoika). It's not herb infused, but it looks like it's pretty awesome, too.
posted by ttyn at 11:34 AM on July 9

Top words are: Product of Southern Russia

Stizhament is the brand.

The part written on the scroll says something about a liqueur from curative grasses (there are your herbs) of what I assume is a location somewhere in southern Russia.

The part in red on the scrolls says A Taste of Tradition --- probably the brand's slogan.
posted by zizzle at 11:58 AM on July 9

A little Googling on those terms landed me here: Nastoyka bitter "Strizhament": Strizhament L is one of the largest and oldest enterprises of the south of Russia. His production is the card of all Stavropolie and is known far outside edge. Original bitter tincture is made of grain spirit of the first-rate quality on extracts of the medicinal grasses growing on mountain Strizhament, reserved part of Stavropolie. Into structure enters: ethyl alcohol of the maximum clearing grain, apple juice, insist aromatic grasses (a balm, mint, Origanum, etc.), cognac, water, color.

Probably shouldn't hold out hope for being able to get it in the states, sadly. Thanks!
posted by j.edwards at 12:02 PM on July 9

On preview, I see you are looking to find this in the US.

Unfortunately, there are many good liquors, wines, and such brewed in Russia and surrounding countries that never make it far internationally. Your best bet is probably Brighton Beach and possibly other areas heavily concentrated in a Russian population.

I lived in Petersburg for a year and never saw this particular brand anywhere (which doesn't necessarily mean anything.)
posted by zizzle at 12:04 PM on July 9

Strizhament (Стрижамент — the stress is on the last syllable) is a mountain; being the highest near the city of Stavropol (Ставрополь — stress on the first syllable), it serves as a symbol for institutions in that city (a travel agency, for example), but it's not particularly impressive (especially compared to the Caucasus Range farther south)—here's a picture taken from the north. Near the top of this page is a map showing the location of the mountain (in the center, marked by an arrow) and the city (just above it) in the North Caucasus (the Black Sea is on the left, the Caspian on the right). And for the bored and/or curious, here is a six-minute clip of a couple of bicyclists going there and back. (There's even a poem about it, by local poet Ivan Kashpurov; it starts "Нас подняла тропинка на вершину/ горы столовой — здравствуй, Стрижамент!" [The path lifted us to the peak/ of the mesa — hi, Strizhament!].)

As for the booze, yeah, Brighton's your best bet, but I agree you're unlikely to find it.
posted by languagehat at 1:32 PM on July 9