Courvoisier vs. Belarus-made liquor
The government was to name the special importers of alcohol by mid-April, but it is yet to be done as of now. Therefore, shops are not allowed to import a new stock and have to sell what is still remaining in stores. Some, with enough stocks remaining, feel quite so far. Others say that some wine and cognac brands have disappeared from their shelves.
Wine shop Bordeaux today is one of those who promise to meet any needs of good and expensive liquor amateurs. However, the management admitted to the European Radio for Belarus that they felt stranded despite sufficient stock still remaining.
Bordeaux: “At the moment, we don’t worry about the lack of assortment. But we feel somewhat stranded, because it is not known who will be handling the supplies. Nevertheless, we still have a wide assortment”.
Wine Gallery shop is in a different situation. The manager says they are running out of stock.
Wine Gallery: “There is a danger that some brands will disappear from shelves in some time. We are running out of stock. We will not be able to get those wines before import quotas are issued”.
NRM rock-band leader Lyavon Volski has already felt the shortage. The musician told the European Radio for Belarus that he enjoys drinking fine French red wines. He says that some brands cannot be found in Minsk today.
However, he doesn’t want to switch to the Belarusian “analogues”. Lyavon says he’d better quit drinking then.
“The Belarusian industry focuses on producing strong spirits which I fear getting too much familiar with. It is bad for health. In my view, high-quality wines, even beer, are not produced in Belarus”.
Belgazeta’s deputy editor-in-chief Viktar Martsinovich says he prefers good Armenian cognac. He ironically describes this situation when fine foreign liquor can disappear from shops as a good opportunity for the elite to reach out to ordinary people.
“If you want dolce vita, you need to drink 50 g of cognac. If you are looking for trouble, you have to drink 150 g of (Belarus-made) Kryzhachok. Actually, Kryzhachok is not even a drink. This is the essence of people’s soul. One can only guess what will happen if intellectuals start drinking Kryzhachok. After all, the elite must be close to the people. How can the intellectual and financial elites be close to the people in our conditions if not by drinking the same spirits?”
For connoisseurs, no Belarus-made Korsar can replace a good Armenian or French cognac.
Mikalai Charginets, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee at the Council of the Republic, told the European Radio for Belarus that he preferred vodka. When it is not around, he drinks whisky.
According to the senator, he is aware of the problem but is confident that this issue will be resolved soon.
“I don’t think that Belarus will end up without foreign brands. But if this eventually happens, I will take a bottle and propose to the government to finish the last bottle and decide: either to quit drinking or start importing?!”
Deputy economy minister Andrei Tur was unable to tell the European Radio for Belarus when the government will decide who becomes a designated importer. He says there is no information yet. At the same time, there are no Belarusian liquors on the list of his drinking preferences.
“As for cognac, I prefer Courvoisier. As for whisky, I drink Jonny Walker Black. I don’t even know what to say about vodka. Regarding wines, I prefer Chilean or Argentinean brands”.
His advice to those who do not wish to switch to Belarusian “analogues:
“They should either wait for their favorite drinks to appear back in shops or stock up their home bar”.
