Bad Vodka

When in Russia, avoid the samogon. With Putin having tripled the price of vodka while in office, Russians have been turning to this black market moonshine as an alcohol-delivering alternative. As the BBC reports, however, samogon is also called “the yellow death,” and for good reason. Drinkers of samogon — which the BBC correspondent says has a bouquet of “rocket fuel with a touch of boot polish” and which may contain a medical disinfectant as an additive — turn “a vile shade of yellow,” succumb to liver disease, and, in some cases, die. Some estimate as many as “10,000 poison cases and 1,000 dead” around the country.

An interesting and horrifying glimpse into the other Russia.