A hotel in Iceland is in hot water for a tone-deaf cocktail named after South Africa's brutal, decades-long system of racial segregation.
The Hotel Reykjavik Marina, owned and operated by Icelandair, was called out on Twitter for serving what it called an "Apartheid" cocktail -- featuring vodka, stout liqueur, cream and roasted hazelnuts.
The Apartheid cocktail, on sale at the Marina Hotel, Reykjavik (owner: @Icelandair) pic.twitter.com/IyrQkx60bU— AFRICA IS A COUNTRY (@AfricasaCountry) December 19, 2014
But further exhibiting its cluelessness, the airline responded to the tweet, sent by the popular @AfricasaCountry Twitter account, with a cheerful holiday greeting and calling the cocktail "simply scrumptious."
@AfricasaCountry Simply scrumptious, enjoy! Happy Holidays— Icelandair (@Icelandair) December 19, 2014
Naturally, people were shocked.
@Icelandair @AfricasaCountry DID THIS JUST HAPPEN??— Rachel Hamada (@rachelhamada) December 19, 2014
@Icelandair @AfricasaCountry This is hilariously tone deaf.— Rob Tashima (@robtashima) December 19, 2014
@Icelandair @AfricasaCountry You're frickin' kidding, right?! U named drink after 1 of most barbaric,savage institutions ever created!— The Dutiful Virgo (@dou_dc) December 19, 2014
Once the airline realized the true meaning of the word, it quickly apologized and blamed an "Iceland-based team member" who was "unaware of the word's meaning."
@AfricasaCountry We apologize. Our Iceland-based team member was unaware of word's meaning. We have contacted the hotel to remove the drink— Icelandair (@Icelandair) December 19, 2014
When asked what that team member thought it meant, the airline further stated, "She thought the word just meant separation and did not understand the connotation and historical significance."
@AfricasaCountry She thought the word just meant separation and did not understand the connotation and historical significance.— Icelandair (@Icelandair) December 19, 2014
"The name of this drink was a clear mistake made by the bar located in the Reykjavik Marina hotel. They have apologized and taken the drink off of the menu," Icelandair's VP of corporate communications, Guðjón Arngrímsson, said in an email.
"They will make sure such mistakes will not happen again. We are very sorry about the situation and apologize to anyone who was offended."