TIME Food & Drink

Hotel Apologizes for ‘Apartheid’ Cocktail

Icelandair says an employee did not understand what the word meant

Words: sometimes they’re just so hard. A Reykjavik hotel owned by Icelandair has apologized for offering a cocktail called “Apartheid” on its bar menu, saying an employee was “unaware of its meaning.”

To make matters worse, when someone shared an image of the Hotel Reykjavik Marina’s menu on Twitter, Icelandair at first responded, “Simply scrumptious, enjoy! Happy Holidays.”

The company later apologized and explained the mix-up: “[The staffer] thought the word just meant separation and did not understand the connotation and historical significance.”

For the record, “separation” apparently tastes like vodka, stout liqueur, cream and roasted hazelnuts.

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