So a company has been using the apples grown near the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site to create spirit which the said company has aptly named “Atomik”. The company itself is called the Chernobyl Spirit Company. According to the company, the Atomik booze is the first consumer product to come out of the area since the disaster in 1986, which left the area abandoned and irradiated. However, authorities have now seized around 1,500 bottles of the spirit but not for reasons you might think.
No, the authorities didn’t seize Atomik because of where the apples used to make the booze were obtained, but because the company allegedly using forged Ukrainian excise stamps. So I guess the apples being grown near a nuclear disaster site is okay and doesn’t raise any red flags, but the stamps, oh no the stamps. Well, the company does claim that their distillation process reduces the radioactivity in the grain to make it safe for drinking.
According to Jim Smith, Founder of the company and an environmental science professor at Portsmouth University, “It seems that they are accusing us of using forged Ukrainian excise stamps, but this doesn’t make sense since the bottles are for the UK market and are clearly labeled with valid UK excise stamps”.
The company has since sent their lawyers to help get the merchandise back. Elina Smirnova, The Chernobyl Spirit Company’s lawyer said to reporters that “They have targeted a foreign company which has tried to establish an ethical ‘white’ business to first of all help Ukraine. The actions of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are damaging the reputation of Ukraine as an open country for doing business. We still believe that the truth will win”.
The company claims that its goal is to bring some life back to the Chernobyl-affected areas of Ukraine. According to Jim, “We are working hard to set up a business to help bring jobs and investment to the Chernobyl affected areas of Ukraine and to further support the community with 75% of any profits we make”.
The company wants to assure people that the land in the exclusion zone can now be used to produce crops that are safe to eat. They believe their new rye will help solidify their claim. Jim said that “We are working hard to get it released, but we can’t sell you anything yet”.
I wonder what kind of kick radioactive booze has? comment below if you see yourself drinking Atomik.