Ogden's Own Distillery, based in Utah, has been making some big news lately after one of its products -- Five Wives Vodka -- was banned from being sold in Idaho by the state's liquor division.
In a letter to the company's distributor in Idaho, the liquor board wrote that its members felt the concept "is offensive to a prominent segment of our population."
Ogden's Own Distillery believes the liquor board's talking about Mormons, even though another Utah company's "Polygamy Porter" can be sold in Idaho.
Since we have a decent amount of Mormons here in Arizona, we decided to find out where to get Five Wives down here.
Colorado City's the obvious answer -- especially since the Legislature refused to dismantle its FLDS-lovin' police force -- but as for Five Wives Vodka, it's not yet available in Arizona.
Steve Conlin, partner and VP of marketing at Ogden's Own Distillery, tells New Times they sent a couple samples to distributors in Arizona, but no one's picked it up yet.
As for offending Mormons, Conlin says it's more of a historical reference than a stab at Mormons and the political-correctness police.
"I get the nod to the historical past, and we wanted to do that," Conlin says, but adds that "it's not making fun of it."
The vodka's already for sale in Utah and Wyoming, and it's about to be added to stores in Missouri and Texas.
In the meantime, the company seems to be capitalizing nicely off the rejection from Idaho, getting significant news coverage and selling "Free the Five Wives" t-shirts.
