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Lagidze Water

Lagidze water is a popular Georgian soft drink based on soda and a variety of natural syrups. Traditionally mixed in the glass in soda fountains, it is also available as a bottled soft drink in a range of flavors.

Lagidze water was invented by Mitrophan Lagidze, a pharmacist’s apprentice, who in 1887 experimented with  the idea of using natural syrups instead of imported flavored essences in making lemonades. In the early 1900’s, the Lagidze Brother’s plant began blending unique proprietary flavors from herbs and fruits and opened little cafés on the Black sea coast and in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

The Lagidze café-shop on Rustaveli Boulevard soon became a favourite haunt of  families of all social classes and also of political leaders, poets and famous artists who frequently stopped by for a freshly-mixed fruity drink. In the 1930’s the popularity of Lagidze drinks spread thoughout the  Soviet Union and by 1952 up to 40% of  Soviet lemonade was produced following  the secret recipies of Mitrophan Lagidze.

After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the golden days were over. People switched to soft drinks by big American cooperations and Lagidzes‘ grandson became vice-president of Coca-Cola, Georgia. However lemonades labeled „Lagidze“ are still produced in a wide range of natural flavors -including quince (aiva), pear, citrus fruit, cherry or tarragon – and are distributed in Russia, the Ukraine, the Baltic states, Poland and Armenia.

The legendary store on Rustaveli Boulevard closed in 2008 to give way to a women’s fashion shop – leaving Tbilisites with only the memory of this little juice paradise in a hidden corner of the former Communist empire.