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5.0

(4 reviews)

Themed Tour

White magic of Russia: introductory vodka-tasting

Vladimir Ivanov

Event organizer

Meeting point: Bolshaya Moskovskaya, 2

On map

Private

Duration: 2 hours

Group size up to 5 persons

English

Mobile ticket

Details

Legendary liquor, “extremely clear and smooth”, a vodka for the Russians is something more than a drink... As a whiskey in Scotland, vodka has become an integral part of national mentality: the Russians rub vodka on children's chest to relieve fever, it is a glass of vodka and a slice of bread that are put on a dead man during the funeral.

Our tasting takes place in a small cozy restaurant in the historic center of St Petersburg. You will be offered five types of vodka to reveal full spectrum of its taste and production technology:
— 2 classical vodkas prepared according to present-day technology: one from Russia, one from Ukraine or Belarus
— vodka prepared according to a historic recipe described in Russian literary classics
— Armenian vodka distilled from mulberry or carnelian cherry flavoured vodka

Vodka is paired with a gastronomic accompaniment in the form of Russian dumplings from Siberia (pel'meni). They come in a vast variety of fillings: from elk to vegetarian. Our tasting has nothing to do with getting loaded up with cheap stuff but, on the contrary, is focused on the following highly intellectual issues:

What a vodka is made of and in what way?
What is behind vodka label and how to read it?
Why is there no Russia-produced vodkas among the best selling Western brands?
When, why, with whom and with what is vodka drunk in Russia?

The length of the vodka-tasting is about 1.5 hours.
Price is 2.500 roubles per person, 2 people minimum.
(Prices for bigger groups are discussed).
5 shots (40 g) of vodka, a main dish, all shared by the two + a Russian story-teller are all included in the price.

Tasting vodka can help you to open Russia easier and quicker than “protocol” visit to the Hermitage.

This is
individual
excursion

Only your group

Only you, your friends or family will be on the tour. Time on this excursion is time spent with loved ones.

Personal guide

Always at your disposal, your guide will tailor your program and suggest places of interest for children, where to eat and what to see.

Economical

The cost of an individual excursion is comparable to the cost of a group excursion if you are going with someone else.

How can I pay?

Online prepayment

Pay the rest to the organizer

A full refund is available for prepayment and online payment if canceled within 48 hours.

This activity is not available any more. Please try other activities.

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Metro Palaces

The opulent metro system, decorated with the marble sculptures and frescos is a wonder, erected at a time when Leningrad was still healing its wounds inflicted by the Nazi siege. The tour is an exploration of the “palaces for the people” and the Soviet epoch...

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Price
vodka-tasting ticket	12 500 ₽ per person

For any payment method you must book a ticket through the booking form below and receive confirmation by e-mail and (or) SMS.

Activity schedule

by agreement

What places you will see

Our tasting takes place in a small cozy restaurant in the historic center of St Petersburg

Activity book period

You can book tour up to 36 hours in advance.

Languages in what activity is performed

English

How long your tour will be

2 hrs

Photos

White magic of Russia: introductory vodka-tasting - photo 1

White magic of Russia: introductory vodka-tasting - photo 2

White magic of Russia: introductory vodka-tasting - photo 3

White magic of Russia: introductory vodka-tasting - photo 4

White magic of Russia: introductory vodka-tasting - photo 5

Still have a question? Contact guide

Reviews by travellers

Balraj_s

I really enjoyed this tour with Vladimir. I undertook this tour alone, and Vladimir made it possible to collect me from my hotel, and we made our way to restaurant. We tried five different vodaks, from various places, and also enjoyed some food. Most of all, I enjoyed the company of Vladimir, and we had a great cultural exchange and it was a pleasure to learn about him and his interesting life in St Petersburg. Thank you, and if I return, I will be sure to see you again. Bally (UK)

almost 7 years ago

Amywebb

Really great tour, our host, Vladimir, was so passionate and knowledgeable on the topic, but Made the night a fun and memorable one. He tailored it to suit our needs also, very happy and would thoroughly recommend.

over 7 years ago

Nootson

Vodka is not that simple as you might have thought! The "vodka tour" was a charming way both to learn and to taste. The place for testing chosen by Vladimir was really cosy, elegent, and... food was really tasty and he went in depths about the history of the spirit itself, explaining us how the production technology drammatically changed in the time of the last Russian emperor. We were lucky to have a sip of authentic vodka produced according to the old technology and to compare it with the newer ones. If you want to add a gastronomic hint for your trip, Vladimir's testing is the best choice.

over 7 years ago

This is a new tour, check out reviews from other tours by this guide:

Vicki T.

Metro Palaces

The Metro Palaces Tour with Vladimir was fab. Vladimir is very professional and obviously loves his city. I describe myself as an introvert, or very guarded. Therefore, I truly appreciate how at ease I felt with Vladimir. He was approachable and I was comfortable asking him random questions. He always had a thoughtful answer. I am not well-read in Russian classics but prior to flying home, I managed to read The Nose by Gogol, downloaded several Dostoyevsky books, and added a few Russian films to my playlist. This is testament to Vladimir's infectious passion about literature. Overall, the tour was cerebral--which is a compliment. I highly recommend this tour if you are interested in going below the superficial layer of the main touristy sites.

about 4 years ago

Dacobe

Metro Palaces

Great tour. In 2 hours you see the first stations built on line 1. It goes beyond the superficial architecture to explain the meaning and reasoning behind it and provide a very interesting picture of 20th century Russian history and culture, including the Revolution, the Siege of Leningrad, Soviet values, industrialization and others. Vladimir explains all this in detail, covering things that would be easily missed otherwise. You also see a couple of construction details affected by the Cold War. Fascinating. Daniel.

about 9 years ago

Grzegorz J.

Dostoevsky and Revolution of 1917

Awesome. Vladimir came prepared with maps, print-outs, old photos, quotes from the novel and from the press of the period, providing excellent background to a fascinating 2-hour tour. Vladimir's narration revolves around the life of Dostoyevsky and the plot of the novel. You will get most out of it if you are familiar with "Crime and Punishment", but the tour is cleverly designed in such a way, that you will enjoy it and learn from it even if you have not read the book. Highly recommended!

almost 12 years ago

Azeem A.

Metro Palaces

Vladimir is a great host and is very knowledgeable about the city and the metro stations. He really helped me understand the essence of the beauty of these stations. The tour is really remarkable and totally worth it. And Vladimir is very accomodating and very helpful (he helped me catch a bus to Peterhof at the end of the tour as well). Thanks you Vladimir for giving me this tour. I thoroughly enjoyed it and got some really nice pictures. :)

over 12 years ago

Eltasmit

Metro Palaces

We took the Metro Palaces tour with Vladimir on our first night in St. Petersburg. This was our first visit and we can't imagine a better introduction than the two hours we spent learning about the history of the city through the design of the metro system. Vladimir is a wonderful guide - extremely knowledgeable, friendly and clearly passionate about the subject matter. We highly recommend the tour and Vladimir as a guide to this amazing city.

over 8 years ago

You will discover

Russian Vodka Museum

Categories

Individual

Highlights

White magic of Russia: introductory vodka-tasting

Details

How can I pay?

This activity is not available any more. Please try other activities.

Activity schedule

What places you will see

Activity book period

Languages in what activity is performed

Directions to meet your guide

How long your tour will be

Photos

Reviews by travellers

You will discover

Categories