The Vodka Wars and Chopin Vodka
It’s hilarious: unlike Coca Cola who claims to have brought about world ‘harmony’ and ‘peace throughout the land’ – according to their famous syrupy advert – vodka has caused two wars. In 1977, a trade war broke out between Poland and Russia. Poland claimed that only they could use the word ‘vodka’ because ‘vodka’ originally came from Poland. They explained that the word ‘vodka’ did not come from the word ‘water’ in Russian but from the word ‘gorzalka’ which means ‘burning’ ‘bitter’ or ‘spicy water’. The Russians reacted furiously and... Read More