A native Bostonian, now living, working and enjoying life in Krasnodar Krai.

Konektiv Media

A native Bostonian now living, working, and enjoying life in Krasnodar Krai. I work with Russian companies to develop and manage social media strategies and campaigns. Please feel free to contact me directly if you or your company is interested in Russian social media, Krasnodar, or the 2014 Sochi Olympics Games.

Keep Walking…..

by TGP on 2009/09/25

Vodka may be one of Russia’s international icons but it is actually whiskey that young Russians drink when they out on the town at night. Whiskey with Red Bull is probably the most popular combination nowadays. When whiskey was first introduced it was whiskey and apple juice but that combo is kind of “girlie” and it’s been a while since I’ve seen a grown Russian order it.

What is important to know when ordering whiskey in Russia is how much (skoal-ka) and whether with ice (sal-dome) or neat. Russians order their liquor in precise amounts of either a small shot at 50 ml (pee-dee-siyat) or a large shot at 100 ml (stowe). Most Russians (87%) know how many milliliters they can drink of a certain alcohol in a night. So should you if you expect to engage in an evening of good old fashioned Russian drinking with the boys. On average, I can (now) drink about 400 ml of whiskey in a night before going off into the land of drunkenness. I say, “on average” because there are a number of factors which can either increase one’s whiskey quota (e.g. a plate of spaghetti carbonara at Minami restaurant or 12 hours of sleep the night before) or decrease it (e.g. your wife will be awake watching CSI “whatever” when you stumble home).

The “magic” quota number in the more serious circles of Russian drinking is 1,000 ml- known simply as a liter (i.e. the whole freakin’ bottle). This level of drinking performance is the cultural equivalent of an American who can drink a case of Budweiser by himself. I, fortunately, have achieved neither.

So, anyhow, the reason I even started this post was simply to repost a creative YouTube video produced by the Johnnie Walker whiskey company. Since we live in a global age it’s fitting that a Hungarian friend of mine sent it to me, an American, here in Russia. I want to compliment the JW company’s marketing department, or whoever the heck thought of the idea, for creating an fun and whimsical 5 minute little “documentary” of the history of Johnnie Walker, the drink, and Johnnie Walker, the man.

Since whiskey is the single most fashionable liquor nowadays in Russia, I also want to suggest to the folks responsible for the “ad” to hire an interpreter and add Russian subtitles. The ad could then be used in the various promotions Johnnie Walker organizes in the nightclubs of Russia (there’s a lot by the way).

Take a couple minutes and watch the video.