The Finnish Long Drink was invented for sports competitions

The 1952 Olympics were held in Helsinki. A record number of international guests were expected to attend the games. The alcohol retailer Alko asked Hartwall to produce ready-made long drinks to avoid the worst queues at restaurants as tourists rushed to find relief from the excitement of the sports field and the thirst caused by the hot days.

A long drink originally meant an extended, long alcoholic drink that was mixed in a glass. In Finland, the long drink has since become established as the name for gin-based drinks.

The Long Drink was only intended to be sold during the Summer Olympics, but Finns fell in love with the flavor combination of gin and grapefruit juice. Today, it is considered a national drink and there are as many flavors as you can only imagine.

You can find all of Kyrö Distillery's Longkyrö flavors on the shelves of well-stocked grocery stores.