George Clooney and Ruben Vardanyan visit ARARAT Cognac Museum in Yerevan

International guests opened their weekend in the nation’s capital for the inaugural ceremony of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity by visiting the Yerevan Brandy Company and its renowned museum dedicated to the legendary Armenian ARARAT Brandy.

Co-Chair of Aurora Prize Selection Committee George Clooney together with Co-Founder of the Aurora Prize initiative Ruben Vardanyan were joined by many other special guests as they toured the ARARAT Museum and acquainted themselves with this integral component of the heritage and culture of Armenia.

Guests were particularly moved by learning the story of Markar Sedrakyan, the legendary Master Blender of the Yerevan Brandy Company. A survivor of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, he used the most painful experience of his early life to build upon his inner strength and achieve great success in both his professional and personal life.

Igor Arakelyan, Chief Operating Officer of Yerevan Brandy Company, a Partner of the inaugural ceremony of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, said, "It is a great privilege to welcome the distinguished guests of the Aurora Prize to the Yerevan Brandy Company, one of the great landmarks in this city situated beneath the arches of Mount Ararat - an imperishable symbol of rebirth and new life.”

Tours to armenia with tasting armenian brandy

The legendary Armenian brandy ARARAT is produced by Yerevan Brandy Company using traditional technology, the foundations of which were laid in 1887 by the brothers Nerses and Vasily Tairyants. ARARAT brandy is created using only local endemic high-quality Armenian grapes and crystal clear spring water. Precious ARARAT brandy is aged exclusively in barrels made of Caucasian oak, produced in their in-house cooperage plant. In 1998 Yerevan Brandy Company became a part of Pernod Ricard, an international company and the world’s leader in the Premium spirits industry.

Ararat Museum