“Products that we feel…are in poor taste with respect to our citizens and will not be authorized for distribution. We feel the Five Wives Vodka concept is offensive to a prominent segment of our population and will not be authorized for distribution.”
Ogden's Own Distillery’s partner and VP of marketing, Steve Conlin, said: "If the reaction is because of a religious concern, we think they are extremely misguided."
He added: "We have a product that has sold nearly 1,000 cases in six months in Utah. We can only presume he means [that the product is offensive to] Mormons,” members of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, who comprise 27% of Utah’s population.
“Though that makes little sense as they allow Polygamy Porter from Wasatch Beers of Utah to be sold. We're a little dumbfounded by it all," Conlin said.
John Challenger, president of Elite Spirits, said: "It's disappointing as we have customers who want the product. It's a rare move for them to ban a product outright from special orders."
Ogden's Own Distillery applied for general listing and was rejected two months ago. The state's position now blocks establishments from even receiving 'special orders' of the product.
Idaho State Liquor Division deputy director for procurement, distribution and retail, Howard Wasserstein, wrote in a letter to distributor Elite Spirits: “Social responsibility is a very important aspect of the marketing and sales of distilled spirits in the State of Idaho.
