The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has ordered bottles of Trump Vodka taken off shop shelves across the country amid fears one batch was not officially labelled as kosher-compliant.
In a statement issued earlier this week, the Chief Rabbinate, which must approve all food imports into the country regardless of whether it has been certified as kosher elsewhere, said that one shipment of the now-defunct vodka brand managed to get into Israel without the correct licences, and ordered a recall.
Trump Vodka, which was launched in 2006, was marketed as "the world's finest premium" spirit that would “demand the same respect and inspire the same awe as the international legacy and brand of Donald Trump himself.” It was discontinued in 2011.
The Times of Israel reports that although the gold bottles - which feature the tagline “success distilled” - are now not available anywhere else, they remain popular in Israel during the Jewish holiday Passover.
Trump Vodka is made from potato rather than grain, making it kosher to drink during the eight-day holiday. Passover this year was celebrated in April.
Since a rogue shipment of the vodka, which is sold under licence, did not get authorisation from the Chief Rabbinate’s import division, all bottles with the code L34211120 “should be removed from the shelves,” the authority said.
Flavoured and plain versions of the spirit can be found in the country, as well as Trump energy drinks.
In 2013, a production error meant that some Trump Vodka which was sold in Israel was made from grain rather than potatoes or molasses. Bottles were then sold with labels warning that their contents may not meet kosher requirements, The Jerusalem Post reported.
