IT COULD be the ultimate case of selling coal to Novocastrians; an Australian company is poised to sell a ready-to-drink vodka to the Russians.

This week Australia will be the first country to launch a ready-mixed vodka for the emerging premium vodka brand Russian Standard.

Roustam Tariko ... a billionaire whose aim is for his brand to be the number three global premium vodka brand behind Smirnoff and Absolut. Credit:Marco Del Grande

If all goes well in Australia, within a year Russia will be the first country in the world to get the new RTD, a citrus-flavoured drink containing vodka sourced from Russian Standard's St Petersburg distillery.

''I think it would be interesting to see Australians selling vodka to the Russians. There is already a great deal of interest in the Russian media,'' says the owner of Russian Standard, Roustam Tariko, a billionaire whose aim is for his brand to be the number three global premium vodka brand behind Smirnoff and Absolut.