The brand Khortytsa is being sold in several area shops. Khortytsa Distillery produced its first bottles of alcohol in December 2003 and is based in Ukraine. The vodka is currently reported to be exported to 87 countries.

O’Malia’s Liquor just started restocking the Ukrainian vodka.

“We just got that in,” said Montana Pope, an employee of the Central Avenue store in Dunkirk. “We carried it before but we got it back in.”

Pope said the only Russian vodka they carry at the moment is what they have left over from previous stock. She added that the store also carries Stoli Vodka, which the Stoli company reports is no longer made in Russia.

A note at JB Liquors states that the Smirnoff brand is owned by a British company. P-J photo by Katrina Fuller

“The company emailed us a letter saying that it’s not made in Russia anymore,” she said. “There’s a paper we have hanging up on our shelf — it says ‘Stoli Group stands for peace in Europe and in solidarity with Ukrainian people. We are a global company, not a Russian company.'”

Stoli’s website reports that the vodka brand and its owner, Yuri Shefler, were exiled from Russia nearly two decades ago.

Liquor stores across the country have stopped selling products made in Russia after the country invaded Ukraine. In addition, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced this week that it had removed all Russian-made products from Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores as a show of solidarity and support for Ukraine.

“As of today, these products will no longer be sold or procured by the PLCB,” Board Chairman Tim Holden said. “Given the evolving political-economic climate, it’s just the right thing to do.”

Only two products stocked in Pennsylvania liquor stores, Russian Standard and Ustianochka 80-proof vodkas, and about a half-dozen special order brands come from Russia, the state control board said.

Locally, Marilyn Purdue of Raynor’s Liquor at 213 Fluvanna Ave. in Jamestown, said her store would be stocking Khortytsa as of Friday after customers started asking for a Ukrainian alternative. Purdue said the store hasn’t stopped stocking Russian liquors, but wanted to provide the Ukrainian brand as another option.

“I asked one of my salesmen if they had something and they did,” she said. “I said, ‘Well, we’ll put it out on the counter because I’m not sure who it was who called and asked about it.”

JB Liquors, 766 Foote Ave. in Jamestown, also carries the Ukrainian vodka, manager Dee Dee Liden said. She said it has regularly been available in the shop.

Liden also pointed out that the Smirnoff brand name may have had ties to Russia, but is now a “global brand.”

“We’ve been watching the tragic events unfold in Ukraine and Russia, but we recognize that a lot of people do have questions about the brand,” she said. “Smirnoff had its beginning in Russia, but Vladimir Smirnoff, in fact, fled from Russia during the revolution and reestablished the brand in Europe in the 1920s.”

Liden said the brand is now owned by a British company and is currently made in Illinois.

“A lot of people don’t know that,” she said.

Main Wine and Spirits on East Fourth Street in Dunkirk does not sell any Russian vodka, Brian Wojcinski said. He said the Ukrainian-based spirit is available for people to come in and purchase at any time.