Russian Standard Vodka, the number one premium vodka in Russia, today announced a partnership with Maxxium South East Asia to distribute the entire Russian Standard portfolio of brands – Russian Standard Original, Russian Standard Platinum, Russian Standard Gold and IMPERIA – in Southeast Asian markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and the Philippines. This distribution agreement includes both domestic and travel retail.

"We are excited to partner with a powerful distributor like Maxxium and introduce the Russian Standard Vodka portfolio to these key markets," said Mykola Kuzemko, Export Director of Russian Standard Vodka. "Southeast Asia has a fast-growing economy and a large population of young and dynamic spirits consumers. Volume in the vodka category has nearly doubled in the last four years. Our expansion in Asia is a significant step in meeting our goal of becoming a global leader in the premium vodka market."

Maxxium South East Asia is a division of Maxxium Worldwide, a leading global distribution company with operations in over 35 countries worldwide. Its portfolio includes some of the world's most well known premium brands. Maxxium has a strong presence in all Southeast Asian markets and is one of the top three suppliers in the global duty free and travel retail industry.

Jonathan Chow, Southeast Asia Managing Director of Maxxium said, "We are excited to bring Russia's number one vodka to Southeast Asia. With the increasing growth of the vodka category in both domestic and travel retail, we are confident that Russian Standard will do very well in this region."

The Russian Standard Vodka brand portfolio will launch for the first time in Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines. Russian Standard Original and Russian Standard Platinum are already sold in Vietnam, while Russian Standard Original and IMPERIA are available in Singapore and Thailand. The partnership with Maxxium is expected to increase volumes significantly. With the addition of Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines, Russian Standard Vodka is now available in over 60 markets worldwide.

About Russian Standard Vodka
Russian Standard Vodka is the global leader in authentic Russian premium vodka. The Russian Standard vodka portfolio dominates the premium segment in Russia with a 60 percent market share and sales of over 1.9 million cases in 2007 in Russia and more than 60 export markets across Europe, the U.S. and Asia. Roustam Tariko, the founder of Russian Standard, introduced Russian Standard Original in 1998 as the first authentic Russian premium vodka. Russian Standard vodkas are made with only the finest Russian ingredients, conforming to the formula for vodka established in 1894 by famed Russian scientist Dimitri Mendeleev for Russia's Czars. Two years after launch, sales of Russian Standard Original surpassed all imported premium vodkas on the Russian market, leading to broad international expansion and the launch of Russian Standard Platinum in 2001, IMPERIA Vodka, the company's luxury brand, in 2004, and Russian Standard Gold in 2008.

About Maxxium
Maxxium Worldwide is responsible for the sales, local marketing and distribution of many of the world leading premium spirits and wine brands, including The Famous Grouse Scotch Whisky, Jim Beam Bourbon and Rémy Martin Cognac. Maxxium is owned by three equal shareholders, The Edrington Group, Beam Global Spirits & Wine and Rémy Cointreau. Maxxium was formed in 1999 when The Edrington Group, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, and Rémy Cointreau combined their worldwide distribution resources outside of the US. Today, Maxxium employs over 2000 people throughout 35 countries arranged into 14 geographic areas - Benelux, Germany/Austria, Nordic, Central and Eastern Europe, Iberia, France, South Eastern Europe, UK/Ireland, Australia/New Zealand, South East Asia, North Asia, Greater China, Canada and a Global Travel Retail division.

On September 3rd 2008, Beam Global and The Edrington group announced the formation of a new Alliance covering 24 of the existing Maxxium markets. The Beam and Edrington Alliance will go live on March 31st 2009, coinciding with the exit of Remy Cointreau from the Maxxium partnership.