By Stephen Lowman
The Washington Post
Thursday, August 28, 2008

Traditional vodka is a neutral spirit: Colorless and odorless, it mixes well. With 51.2 million nine-liter cases of it sold in the United States last year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council, it is also the most popular distilled beverage.

But at Georgetown's Potomac Wines and Spirits, owner Steven Feldman's relationship with one variety is on the rocks.

"We're going to start a little boycott of Russian vodka," Feldman said this week. He plans to pour a bottle of Russian vodka into the toilet and lock up the rest of his stock until "the Russians leave legitimate Georgian territory, and the Georgian government is satisfied with the final outcome of this thing."

Feldman said he knows the ban could be in place for a while, adding, "I don't think they will ever be satisfied."

He said the symbolic flush is intended to highlight "the brutality being inflicted upon the Georgians" in the conflict between the two nations. Officials from the Georgian Embassy are invited to watch, along with broadcasters from as far away as Germany and Canada. He said he hopes his stunt will prompt other retailers and their customers to just say nyet to one of Russia's most famous exports.

Feldman said he is particularly angered by a Russian embargo on Georgian agricultural products that he calls a form of "economic warfare." He is concerned that winemakers in the country are hurt by not being able to sell to Russia, so Feldman encourages customers to buy Georgian wine.

Four local wholesale liquor suppliers said it was the first they had heard of any retailer banning Russian vodka.

Feldman, 58, has worked at Potomac Wines and Spirits on M St. NW since his father opened the store almost 40 years ago. He has no personal connection to Georgia, although he said he does have a number of customers of Georgian origin. His motivation for the boycott stems from them and media reports of the conflict, he said.

"On our level, what can we do? What can a person do? What can a merchant do? This is our way of saying that we know there is not much we can do, but we can do this," Feldman said.

He said customers have been generally supportive of his one-man vodka boycott. He said he thinks they will switch brands to make their screwdrivers, bloody marys and vodka martinis.

But what will Feldman say to his die-hard Stolichnaya drinkers?

"I will say, 'Sorry, I have a conscience, and there is no Stoli here. How about a great Finnish vodka?' "