Atomik Grain Spirit made from Chernobyl rye grain

Made:
2019 in Ukraine

Bottle, 'Atomik Grain Spirit', empty glass bottle. Spirit product was originally made by Kyrylo Korychenskyi of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute as part of the experiment led by Professor James Smith at Portsmouth University (Founder of Chernobyl Spirit Company). Sourced from rye grain from the Narodychi District, Ukraine, 2019.

This bottle of Atomik Vodka was developed by the Chernobyl Spirit Company; a project set up by radiation scientists working in Northern Ukraine. Derived from crops farmed in the area surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant, the project seeks to support the economic and social recovery of the CEZ (Chernobyl Exclusion Zone) and ZOR (Zone of Obligatory Resettlement).

The earliest trials began in the CEZ, developing a vodka based on rye grain, with a later ‘Apple Spirit’ variant switching to apples harvested from the broader Narodychi District. By distilling these crops, scientists could isolate any remaining heavy radioactive elements from the spirits, demonstrating the suitability of the respective harvest areas for certain types of agricultural production.

Details

Category:
Environmental Science & Technology
Object Number:
2022-85
Materials:
glass and alcohol
Measurements:
overall: 210 mm 85 mm,
type:
spirit bottle