Odessans are sometimes referred to as the Southern French for their refined taste. This taste is evident in their cuisine, literature, theater, and, notably, in alcohol.
And it’s no coincidence. The lands of the Odessa region are ideal for grape cultivation. They provide the perfect conditions for establishing a brandy production facility, as all the necessary elements for manufacturing and swift exportation through the port are present right here.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there was no product on the market more renowned than Shustov brandy.
19th CENTURY
1803
Odessa, one of the pioneers, gains access to such a noble beverage as brandy. Since 1803, the port of the city becomes the starting point for the supply of the finest brandies from renowned French distilleries.
1840
In the Southern Palmira, brandy, known locally as French vodka, becomes exceptionally popular. The artisanal production of the beverage thrives, laying the foundation for genuine brandy production in Odessa.
1863
Nikolai Leontiyovich Shustov establishes his own distillery and trademark ‘Shustov.’ Under this brand, wines, liqueurs, infusions, and spirits are produced. Conquering the market becomes a challenge amid fierce competition, with emphasis placed not only on quantity but also on the quality of the products.
1896
With the successful involvement of Shustov’s three sons in the business, the company transforms into the ‘Society of Brandy and Vodka Factories, Warehouses of Russian Grape Wines of Nikolai Leontiyovich Shustov with Sons.’ The Society operates throughout the empire, with particular attention from the Shustovs focused on Bessarabia and Odessa as favorable locations for developing their brandy production and importing products through the Odessa port.
1897
The distillery of the Viniculture Society on Bugaivtsi in Odessa produces the first Odessa brandy named ‘Phoenix.’
1899
In Odessa, the Joint-Stock Company of the Black Sea Viniculture, Liqueur, and Brandy Production is established. Its founders aim to ‘arrange and operate factories for the production of brandy from grape wines’ in the city of Odessa. To achieve this goal, the society acquires a plot at 23 Melnytska Street, where the Odessa Brandy Factory will later be established.
20th CENTURY
1900
The Shustovs’ most significant triumph came in 1900 when their products were awarded the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris. It was during this time that the Shustovs were granted the honor of labeling their products with the term ‘cognac,’ rather than ‘brandy,’ as was conventionally used.
1903
The Shustov Society opens its agency in Odessa at 12 Skobelyeva (Jewish) Street. The Odessa agency serves the entire south-western region of the Russian Empire, providing it with high-quality and robust Shustov products.
1911
To expand its operations, the Shustov Society with Sons acquires a plot at 23 Mlynna Street, previously owned by the Black Sea Viniculture Society.
1912
On the acquired plot, the Shustovs open a branch of the Society in Odessa, known as the Central Warehouses for Brandies and Grape Wines. In the same year, the Society is granted the title of Supplier to the Court of His Imperial Majesty. Among the accolades for Shustov products at this time are Grand Prix awards in Turin, London, Liege, Milan, London (again), and Naples. For their victory at the World Exhibition in Paris, the Shustovs gain the right to label their products with the word ‘cognac,’ not ‘brandy,’ a distinction previously held only by French producers.
1913
By the 50th anniversary of the Society’s founding, the annual income approached 10,000,000 rubles. Today, this is equivalent to several hundred million dollars. The company had risen to the fourth place in the world in brandy production and claimed the top spot in the production of infusions and liqueurs. The Shustov Society managed six foreign agencies in Paris, London, Rotterdam, Chicago, Brussels, and Melbourne.
1921
With the advent of Soviet power, the Shustov enterprise in Odessa underwent a change in status. The central warehouse of the Society began to be referred to as the ‘former Shustov factory,’ later becoming the Odessa Brandy Factory.
1929
At the Odessa Brandy Factory, as the Odessa enterprise of the Shustovs was then known, 39 types of products were produced: wines, brandies, grape spirits, aperitifs, punches, and liqueurs.
1947
The post-war revival of brandy production at the Odessa Brandy Factory began in 1947. A year later, the blending workshop of the enterprise released the first post-war brandy, ‘Three Stars.’
1956
The Odessa Brandy Factory resumes operations as a full-cycle brandy enterprise in 1956. Here, they distill their own brandy spirits, which are aged for many years in oak barrels. Until 1956, the Odessa Brandy Factory remains the only brandy producer in Ukraine.
1998
The factory successfully expands its raw material base and restores lost vineyards. In the town of Velykodolynske (formerly known as ‘Grosslibental,’ meaning ‘Valley of Great Love’ in Russian) near Odessa, the first vines of elite grape varieties, purchased from the world-famous breeder Mr. Raymond in France, are planted on 660 hectares.
1999
The production volume at the Odessa Brandy Factory reaches 615 thousand decaliters, accounting for 57.5% of the total brandy production in Ukraine.
21st CENTURY
2002
A new brandy distillation facility, the most powerful in Europe, begins operations at the Odessa Brandy Factory. It is equipped with distillation apparatus from the French company Prulho, located in the Charente region. Prulho is considered a true trendsetter in the production of equipment for brandy distillation.
2006
A modern primary winemaking complex is launched in Velykodolynske. Thanks to this, the Odessa Brandy Factory becomes a leading Ukrainian full-cycle production enterprise.
2012
The European Business Assembly awards the Odessa Brandy Factory a special prize and the title of ‘Best Brandy Enterprise in Europe.’ Experts emphasize that for over a century, the enterprise has been producing brandy using classic French technology – just like they do in the Cognac region.
TODAY
Today, the distillation workshop of the Odessa Brandy Factory is the largest in Europe. During the distillation season (approximately 6 months), up to 3 million decaliters of brandy grape materials can be processed here, yielding up to 2 thousand decaliters of absolute alcohol per day. The maturation workshops of the Odessa Brandy Factory house over 15 thousand casks of brandy spirits, constituting the country’s largest and genuine gold reserve of the brandy industry.
In 2013, the Odessa Brandy Factory commenced the export of its own distilled brandy spirits to France.
At the end of the year, the Museum of Brandy Business of M.L. Shustov opened in the historic cellars of the Odessa Brandy Factory – the first and only one of its kind in Ukraine. The museum, as explained by Sergiy Dyachenko, the director of the Shustov Museum, offers surprising attractions and hosts unconventional events.
What inspired the creation of your brandy museum?
Initially, it was just a dream — a desire to create something unique that would reflect the soul of our city during the industrial era’s inception.
The more we learned about the history of brandy, its production, and its significance for Odessa, the more our Odessa Brandy Factory enterprise became inspired. We began gathering information, studying the history of brandy production, and visiting various wineries and brandy factories worldwide to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible.
Inspiration came from everywhere: the aroma of brandy in the factory, stories from old masters. Each brandy bottle was like a book telling its own story, and we wanted to share these stories with the world.
After many years of preparation and planning, construction of the museum began in 2010. The chosen location was the ancient cellars in the heart of old Odessa, right under the factory.
The construction process was challenging and labor-intensive, but every day spent on the construction site filled us with even more inspiration. We witnessed the transformation of a dream into reality. Everything was meticulously restored and transformed into the museum.
The Brandy Museum in Odessa opened in 2013, marking the 150th anniversary of the brand’s founding. It became the first museum in Ukraine dedicated to the history and traditions of brandy production. The exhibits span different eras, from antique brandy bottles to modern equipment for production.
Most importantly, the museum became a place where people could learn about the history of brandy, its production, and its importance to Odessa, as well as savor its exquisite taste.
The goal was not just to create a museum but a place that reflects the spirit of Odessa, its love for brandy, and its unique history. We take pride in accomplishing that.
Can you highlight some unique exhibits or collections found in your museum?
The Brandy Museum in Odessa stands as a rare source of historical and cultural wealth. Among its unique exhibits, a few items truly stand out.
One of the noteworthy pieces is a meticulously restored vintage tram from 1890. This tram, painstakingly brought back to life, serves as a vital symbol of an era when brandy was a marvelous elixir for society. Its wooden seats and intricate details reflect the aesthetics of that time. The tram used to traverse the factory line, ensuring workers could easily reach their workplaces on time.
Another rarity is a bottle of brandy from 1899, accidentally discovered under an old doorstep. This exhibit showcases the uniqueness of the brandy-making process and its ability to withstand the test of time. The bottle remains sealed, revealing crystals inside that speak to its prolonged aging process.
A French ribbon saw from 1905 is yet another intriguing exhibit. It was used for rounding the bottoms of barrels, emphasizing the hands-on craftsmanship involved in brandy production. The saw mirrors the technical aspects of brandy manufacturing and highlights the evolution of the industry.
The collection of 200 brandy bottles from the last millennium is a true gem. Each bottle in this collection is a unique specimen, reflecting different tastes, styles, and production methods of brandy over the past millennium. This collection serves as a genuine journey through time, allowing visitors to feel the history and evolution of this renowned beverage.
The rest of the unique exhibits can be explored at 13, Melnytska Street, Odessa.
Interview conducted by Michelle Armand.
