Shustov cognac became one of the most famous brands of the Russian Empire, successfully competing with the best French alcoholic beverages.

The Shustov family, rising from peasants to nobility, gained fame even before the production of cognac began. In 1863, Nikolai Shustov founded the company "N. Shustov and Sons," marking the beginning of a merchant dynasty in the world of elite alcohol. The first step towards creating a great empire was a small distillery in Moscow producing vodka. At that time, there were many such enterprises in the Russian Empire, so exceptional entrepreneurial intuition was required for success in the market, which Nikolai Shustov possessed. Instead of lowering prices at the expense of quality, he decided to conduct an active advertising campaign that went down in history. To promote the product, he hired students who, upon entering drinking establishments, demanded "Shustov vodka." If it was not available, they would cause a scene and leave the establishment. Tavern owners were forced to purchase this drink. By the early 20th century, the company became the official supplier to the Imperial Court, owning three cognac factories: in Yerevan, Odessa, and Kishinev.

In 1913, the firm ranked 4th in cognac production and 1st in the production of tinctures and liqueurs in the Russian Empire. However, with the onset of World War I, the activities of Shustov's factories declined due to the ban on alcohol sales. After the 1917 revolution, the cognac factories were nationalized, and the Shustov brothers, in an attempt to recover some funds, processed stocks of cognac spirits aged for over a century. But even this did not save them from bankruptcy. A few years later, one of the best cognac factories in the world ceased to exist.