Русский
Russia’s legendary Kaluga Kristall Distillery has launched a bottling line for Hasta Manana Silver and Hasta Manana Gold tequila, produced in the Mexican state of Jalisco, which is renowned for its tequila, Kristall has said.
Initially, the plant plans to sell approximately 20,000 half-liter bottles per month in the retail network, rising to 50,000 bottles by the end of 2026. Kristall stated that “This plan will give us more than 10% of the Russian tequila market, including imports, by the end of 2027. ” According to data from retail chains, total tequila sales in Russia will rise 10% in 2025 to approximately 5.13 million bottles.” According to Russian alcohol market researchers, in January-April, the share of vodka in the structure of strong alcohol sales decreased by almost 1 percentage point, to 60.3%. Pavel Pobedkin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Alcohol Group Kristall (AGK), expects that in the long term, vodka will begin to lose ground in sales to liqueurs, aperitifs, whiskey, and other beverages.
Pavel Pobedkin, chairman of the KAG board of directors, said the original product – 53.3% ABV tequila – was imported to Russia in special vats, first by sea to St. Petersburg and then by road in containers. “Here it is diluted to 38% ABV, followed by aeration and bottling. Ultimately, thanks to logistics and the absence of a markup for a global brand, Kaluga Kristall offers the market a product that complies with all international standards and is half the price of imported equivalents at approximately ₽1,000 (US$14) per 0.5-liter bottle.”
Kristall also plans to produce classic ready-to-drink tequila-based cocktails this summer, he said. The company will disclose details of this project separately.
The Kaluga Crystal Distillery is one of the top 10 largest producers of strong alcohol in Russia. The distillery’s products are distributed in 61 regions of Russia and are also exported to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and China. The distillery was founded in 1901 under the name “Kazenny Vinny Sklad.” During the Great Patriotic War, alcohol was produced for both Molotov cocktails and battlefield wounds. During the German occupation, the distillery’s products were destroyed to prevent the enemy from obtaining Russian “schnapps.” Throughout its history, the plant has exported its products to dozens of countries. The plant’s beverages have become the region’s “calling card.” Kristall has been awarded domestic and international diplomas, as well as dozens of gold, silver, and bronze medals at prestigious exhibitions.
