Russian Vodka Sales Suspended In West Virginia

Gov. Jim Justice signed Executive Order 2-22 Feb. 28, which directs the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration to cease the purchase and sale of all Russian produced liquor until further notice.

Justice’s executive order explained that his action was a response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Feb. 24 declaration of war by Russia against Ukraine, and further stated, “the Governor desires to express West Virginia’s solidarity with the people of Ukraine and the hope for a peaceful outcome of this Russian War against Ukraine” by directing the WVABCACommissioner to implement his request.

“We’ve closed the codes on our ordering portal and are no longer selling it,” Fred Wooton, WVABCA commissioner, confirmed just a few hours later.

Wooton said his office had several retailers calling Monday saying they are pulling the Russian brands off their shelves voluntarily.

“They were ahead of us on the deal,” Wooton said.

The executive order also directs the WVABCA Commissioner “to order and make Ukrainian-made liquor brands available for purchase by licensed liquor outlets, including, but not limited to, MHW LTD dba Conecuh Ridge Distillery – Nemiroff Vodka, depending on availability.”

West Virginia currently distributes four brands of Russian liquor: Russian Standard, Beluga Vodka, Moskovskaya, and Hammer & Sickle Russian Vodka, according to the executive order.

The WVABCA estimates that there are approximately 73 cases of Russian liquor in the state’s warehouse.

“We are in the process of compiling those products and staging them out of the main flow of the warehouse,” Wooton explained. “We won’t be selling it until further notice.”

The in-stock Russian vodka will not be destroyed nor auctioned for charity.

“We don’t actually own the product until we sell the product,” Wooton explained, adding that West Virginia is a bailment control state, meaning the WVABC administration is the only entity authorized to warehouse liquor in the state of West Virginia.

“One possible option is that we could tell our supplier that we no longer want to support this product,” Wooton said. “We would ask our suppliers to pick that product up.”

All other liquors branded with Russian names for marketing purposes are purchased from distilleries not located in Russia and are not affected by the order. Some are made in the United States.

The governor also requested that the West Virginia Retailers Association remove Russian-made liquor from their shelves and not sell the products until further notice.

“We’ve already got the information out to our stores,” Bridget Lambert, president of the West Virginia Retailers Association, said just a few hours following the order. “Our members were glad to step up. We commend the governor, along with the West Virginia Legislature, on taking that action.”

The WVABCA regulates the distribution of liquor in West Virginia to 181 licensed retail liquor outlets statewide. It licenses approximately 6,000 alcohol producers, distributors, representatives, retailers, and other licensees.