Russia Blocking Imports of Kentucky Gentleman

By Richard Thomas

Russia is set to ban the import of Kentucky Gentleman, a down-market whiskey made by Sazerac according to The Moscow Times. Russia’s consumer protection authorities have cited the presence of organic chemicals called phthalates as the reason for halting imports of Kentucky Gentleman, but the action comes as just one more in a growing list of American imports banned from Russia during the ongoing Ukraine Crisis. Sazerac also owns the highly esteemed Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Russian news agency ITAR-TASS further reported that Kentucky Gentleman had not cleared registration with the Russian, Belarussian, and Kazakh customs union.

Kentucky Gentleman comes as both a blended whiskey and a bourbon, and although the Russian news articles refer to bourbon, the two are frequently confused and could refer to either or both versions. The brand is made in Bardstown, at a separate facility from the aforementioned Buffalo Trace.