The story probably comes from 1990s when the local market was flooded with lots of phoney drinks, some claimed to be imported but never heard of in the countries of their supposed origin, some claimed to be the "authentic" but apparently just as fake. Most were made out of cheap and dirty cellulosic ethanol, usually stinking of burnt rubber but sometimes even worse.

Another thing that might have been served or sold as "real vodka" and smell of whatever would be home-made distilled, but never ever filtered, alcohol. They typically didn't even pour away the first and the last portions of the liquid; everything was considered good enough as long as it could catch on fire.

I seriously pity whoever brought the story back to the world. Either kind would completely ruin their next day.