Britain’s alcohol industry regulator has set a deadline of October for retailers to cease all orders of “Cosa Nostra” whiskey from a Polish company. The decision was made due to concerns that the whiskey’s promotion of violence and criminal activity was irresponsible and seriously offensive. Image: The Portman Group
July 14 (UPI) – The alcohol industry regulator in Britain has given retailers a three-month ultimatum to stop selling “Cosa Nostra” whiskey, supplied by a Polish company. The whiskey, packaged in a bottle resembling a Thompson sub-machine gun, has been deemed to glorify violent, aggressive, dangerous, and illegal behavior, leading to widespread offense.
The Portman Group, which oversees the alcohol industry, issued a Retailer Alert Bulletin as a last resort after Bartox Bartol failed to comply with its code regarding the naming, packaging, and promotion of alcoholic beverages. Bartox Bartol was requested to ensure that the whiskey met the necessary requirements, but failed to do so.
The panel responsible for reviewing complaints at Portman determined that the “Tommy” gun-shaped bottle formed a direct association between the whiskey and a dangerous weapon. Additionally, the use of the name “Cosa Nostra” further emphasized the product’s connection to violence, as it references an infamous faction of the Italian Mafia. This packaging, combined with other references on the primary and secondary packaging, creates an overall effect that glamorizes criminal activity, particularly at a time when gun crime is increasing in Britain and impacting communities. The inclusion of two crossed Tommy guns and bullet holes on the box further contributes to this glamorization.
The panel also considered the offense caused to individuals directly affected by the violence perpetrated by Cosa Nostra. It is their perspective that the packaging, which glamorizes the criminal organization, is seriously offensive. “In light of rising gun crime in the U.K., it is deeply irresponsible of an alcohol producer to glamorize firearms and market a product in this form,” stated Nicola Williams, Chair of the Independent Complaints Panel.
Williams also noted that there were multiple clear indications that the whiskey bottles violated the industry code, referring to a previous complaint regarding the company’s Red Army Vodka. “I hope Bartex Bartol takes note that such products are completely unacceptable,” Williams added. The panel emphasized that although the Tommy gun is historically associated with organized crime, it is a firearm that has long been out of use.
The Thompson .45 caliber machine gun gained notoriety during the prohibition era in America, becoming the weapon of choice for organized crime gangs. Due to its resemblance to the sound of a typewriter commonly heard across Chicago’s south side in the 1920s, it was also nicknamed the “Chicago typewriter.”
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