London, June 15 - Vodka label Stolichnaya is to be put up for sale after Russian company SPI asked Lehman Brothers to find a buyer, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
French wine and spirits group Pernod Ricard was linked with a bid for Stolichnaya towards the end of 2007 but declined to comment on media reports at the time.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the vodka brand could fetch as much as $3 billion, citing a person familiar with the matter.
The newspaper said possible buyers included Fortune Brands Inc of the U.S., Barcadi Ltd of Puerto Rico and Italy's Gruppo Campari, owner of Skyy Vodka, citing a banker familiar with the industry.
No one at SPI could be reached for comment.