Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law tightening licensing conditions for whiskey distillate producers and aiming to combat unregistered production.
According to the document published on the official legal regulations website, starting November 1, 2026, organizations engaged in the production, storage, and supply of whiskey distillate, as well as those applying for a license in this field, will be subject to the high licensing requirements currently applicable to ethyl alcohol and alcoholic beverage producers.
These requirements include a minimum registered capital of 100 million rubles, a prohibition on net assets falling below this amount, and the obligation to notify Rosalkogoltabakkontrol about beneficial owners, controlling persons, management changes, and the absence of individuals with unsatisfactory reputations.
A transition period is envisaged for producers operating in this field as of November 1, 2026, regarding the net asset requirement. Accordingly, from March 1, 2028, a drop in net assets below 100 million rubles will lead to a ban on ethyl alcohol production and license revocation.
Additionally, from November 1, 2026, the production of alcohol-containing products may only be carried out by organizations that meet the regulatory authority's conditions and possess production and storage facilities owned through ownership, operational management, or a lease agreement of at least one year.
According to Rosalkogoltabakkontrol data, whiskey distillate production has increased rapidly in recent years. Production, which was 888.8 thousand decaliters in 2022, reached 911 thousand in 2023, approximately 1.5 million in 2024, and 2.16 million decaliters in 2025. This increase is assessed to stem from a shift to whiskey distillate production after the tightening of requirements for ethyl alcohol producers starting in 2024. The drafters of the bill noted that maintaining flexible conditions for the maturation of whiskey distillate increases the risk of low-quality production.
The law, which also contains other provisions, will enter into force on September 1, 2026, except for articles specifying different timelines. Producers are obliged to provide information to Rosalkogoltabakkontrol within 60 days about the membership structure of their management bodies, the director and chief accountant, as well as legal entities that have been in the same group or connected and held a predominant share in their capital over the past five years.
