Ukrainian Vodka

My friends always ask me what is the best Ukrainian vodka?  I am not an expert. But these two that you can see on the following picture are pretty good.
On the left-hand side of the picture,  you can see Zoloto Polubotka (Polubotka's Gold) vodka. It's made in Lviv. It's pretty pricey because it contains golden flakes in the bottle. Basically, it looks like the Goldschlager schnapps liqueur. But it's still vodka.
On the right-hand side of the picture, you can see Nemiroff Medova z Pertzem (Honey-based with Pepper). Nemiroff is a world-known brand of vodka so it's pretty easy to find it here in European/Russian deli stores. The honey-based Nemirroff with red hot chili peppers has a yellow color because the vodka is infused with honey. It also has a sweet and spicy taste because of both honey and red hot chili peppers. Nemiroff vodka is made in a small town of Nemiroff in Vinitsa province.
Both brands of vodka are from the Western Ukraine. I don't have an explanation for this spatial pattern. And on the final note I have to say that both companies avoid classifying their brands as vodka. The Polubotka's Gold is actually horilka (Ukrainian word for vodka). The Nemiroff considers its vodka a liqueur. As I recall, Poland as the EU members filed a request to patent the vodka brand as a hard liqueur made from potatoes. Since both Ukrainian companies don't use potatoes to make their vodka, these companies can't use the term vodka.


Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Lviv, Lvov, and Lemberg

I always mention Lviv every year when we celebrate Ludwig Von Mises' birthday. Mises who is a famous economist, political philosopher, historian, and social scientists was born in the Jewish family in Lemberg, Galicia province, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Now, Lemberg is know as .... Lviv, Ukraine. During the Soviet regime Lemberg became Lvov. And now it's finally Lviv.
Anyways, here are very beautiful pictures of Lviv. You should check it out (ht to Roman Skaskiw). You should also follow Roman in Ukraine blog. Roman is an American journalist of Ukrainian origin traveling in Ukraine.

Happy Belated Birthday to the Most Famous Lvivian, Ludwig Von Mises!

Two days and 131 years ago, Ludwig Von Mises who is the distinguished Austrian economist was born in the Jewish family in Lemberg, Galicia province, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Now, Lemberg is know as .... Lviv, Ukraine.

"Mises's legacy lives", GMU's Professor Peter J. Boettke writes, "on in a variety of streams of thought in contemporary economics, political economy, and social philosophy." Mises' work has a very broad range of topics including socialism, the quantity theory of money, history, and so on. Ludwig Von Mises taught at the University of Vienna, Austria, and later at New York University, USA.

Happy Birthday to Ludwig Von Mises!

Today, 129 years ago, the distinguished economist and the leader of the Austrian School of Economics was born. His work is outstanding. It is very broad ranging from topics of socialism to the quantity theory of money. Ludwig Von Mises taught at the University of Vienna, Austria, and later at New York University, USA. If you have not read his work, please, start reading it now. 
It's a very interesting fact that Ludwig Von Mises was born in Lemberg in Galicia province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Now,  Lemberg is know as .... Lviv, Ukraine. I wonder whether anybody celebrates his birthday in Ukraine?