Ararat 3 Star 700ML

Ararat 3 Star 700ML is a 3-year-aged Armenian brandy bottled at 40% ABV, produced by the Yerevan Brandy Company in Armenia's Ararat Valley. The Ararat brand earned international recognition as early as the 1902 Paris exhibition, where it was awarded a Grand Prix, and this entry-level expression carries forward a tradition built on indigenous grape varieties and distinctive Caucasian oak maturation.

Quick Facts: ABV: 40%  |  Origin: Ararat Valley, Armenia  |  3-Year Age Statement  |  Distillery: Yerevan Brandy Company

Production & Heritage

The Yerevan Brandy Company, based in Armenia's capital, has produced brandy under the Ararat name since the late 19th century. The 3 Star expression is double-distilled using steam-heated copper pot stills following the Charentais method — a technique chosen specifically to preserve the delicate character of local white grape varieties including Voskehat, Kangun, Banants, Miskali, and Garandmak. The spirit then matures for three years in handmade barrels fashioned from Caucasian oak sourced from trees over 70 years old, a wood prized for imparting distinctive dried fruit, vanilla, and spice notes that differ markedly from the French Limousin oak used in Cognac production.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with lively notes of oak and butter, giving way to gentle dried fruit and vanilla. A spicy undercurrent evokes flowering fruit trees and fresh home baking, adding unexpected complexity for a young brandy.

Taste: The entry is sweet and fiery, quickly developing into a rich, intense mid-palate where caramel, oak, and warm spice converge. A velvety texture carries fresh fruit and baking-spice flavors throughout, with the indigenous grape character lending a bright, invigorating quality distinct from Western European brandies.

Finish: Medium in length with a pleasantly dry, lightly astringent close. Lingering warmth and subtle oak spice fade gradually, leaving a clean, slightly sweet impression.

How to Drink Ararat 3 Star

Neat at room temperature or with a single ice cube to open up the interplay between fruit and oak. A Sidecar benefits from the brandy's dried fruit and vanilla notes, which complement Cointreau and fresh lemon juice without being overwhelmed. In a Brandy Sour, the sweet-spicy backbone balances citrus acidity while the velvety texture rounds out the drink. An Armenian Coffee Cocktail — combining the brandy with strong Armenian or Turkish coffee and a touch of sugar — plays directly into the spirit's natural baking-spice and caramel character.

Best For

• Introducing a curious drinker to Armenian brandy for the first time
• After-dinner digestif alongside dark chocolate or baklava
• Exploring a distinctive alternative to VS or VSOP Cognac
• Casual weeknight sipping without reaching for a premium-aged bottle

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ararat 3 Star taste like? Ararat 3 Star delivers a sweet, fiery entry with dried fruit, caramel, and oak at the mid-palate, finishing with a clean, lightly astringent dryness. The overall profile is lively, spicy, and fruit-forward with vanilla undertones from Caucasian oak aging.

How does Ararat 3 Star compare to VS Cognac? Both categories rely on copper pot still distillation and oak aging, making them structurally similar at the entry level. The key difference is that Ararat uses indigenous Armenian grape varieties and Caucasian oak barrels, which tend to produce more pronounced dried fruit and baking-spice notes than the Ugni Blanc grapes and Limousin oak typical of Cognac.

Is Ararat 3 Star good for cocktails? Its balanced sweetness, 40% ABV, and spicy oak character make it a versatile cocktail base. It performs especially well in Sidecars, Brandy Sours, and coffee-based drinks where its dried fruit and vanilla notes can shine through other ingredients.

Where is Ararat 3 Star made? Ararat 3 Star is produced by the Yerevan Brandy Company in Yerevan, Armenia, situated in the Ararat Valley at the foot of Mount Ararat. The distillery sources locally grown white grape varieties from surrounding Armenian viticultural regions.

What foods pair well with Ararat 3 Star? Dark chocolate complements its vanilla and dried fruit notes. Aged hard cheeses like Parmesan balance the sweetness with savory depth. Dried apricots and walnuts echo the spirit's natural fruit and oak character. Baklava and nut-based pastries harmonize with its caramel and spice profile. Grilled lamb seasoned with herbs provides a robust match that stands up to the brandy's intensity.

What sizes does Ararat 3 Star come in? Ararat 3 Star is commonly available in 700ml bottles, with some markets also carrying 350ml and 500ml formats.

Is Ararat 3 Star worth the price? Ararat 3 Star sits as the entry-level expression within the Ararat range, typically priced competitively against VS Cognacs. Its use of five indigenous grape varieties and handmade Caucasian oak barrels delivers a flavor profile with more complexity than many brandies at a comparable price tier.

Why Ararat 3 Star?

What sets this brandy apart from similarly aged spirits is its raw materials: five local Armenian grape varieties — Voskehat, Kangun, Banants, Miskali, and Garandmak — distilled via steam-heated copper pot stills, then matured in handmade Caucasian oak barrels sourced from trees exceeding 70 years of age. That oak imparts a dried fruit and spice complexity rarely encountered in entry-level brandies. For drinkers looking beyond Cognac, the 3 Star serves as an accessible gateway into Armenia's brandy-making tradition — one stretching back well over a century with a production philosophy that prioritizes local terroir over replicating French models.