Tarkhuna (drink) facts for kids
Tarkhuna is a popular fizzy drink from Georgia. It's also known as Tarhun. This sweet drink gets its special taste from a herb called tarragon. Sometimes, another plant called woodruff is used instead.
Tarkhuna was first made in 1887. A young Georgian pharmacist, Mitrofan Lagidze, created it in the city of Kutaisi, which was then part of the Russian Empire. A pharmacist is someone who prepares and sells medicines, but Mitrofan also loved making drinks!
Mitrofan Lagidze started adding a special liquid from Caucasian tarragon to fizzy water. He mixed this with natural fruit syrups that he made himself. His drinks were so good that he won gold medals at big international shows before the First World War. Later, in 1927, the government built a factory in Tbilisi to make "Lagidze water." Mitrofan Lagidze even became the director of this new factory.
Where Can You Find Tarkhuna?
Today, you can find Tarkhuna in many places. In Georgia, popular brands like "Natakhtari" and "Zedazeni" make it. You can also find it in Lithuania under the name "Tarchunas" and in Russia as "Тархун."
Tarkhuna first became widely available in the Soviet Union in 1981. A small amount was sold at the Main Botanical Garden of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Moscow. These early bottles were 0.33 liters. After that, the recipe was shared with other food companies. By 1983, "Tarhun" was sold in many parts of the Soviet Union in 0.33 and 0.5-liter bottles.
What About the Name "Tarhun"?
Sometimes, companies argue over who can use a certain name for their products. This is called a trademark dispute. In Estonia, two companies, OÜ Acerra and AS Tallinna Karastusjoogid, had a disagreement about the name "Tarhun."
The Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications looked into the issue. They decided that "Tarhun" is a common word that describes the drink itself. Because it's a descriptive term, it cannot be protected as a trademark in Estonia. This means anyone can use the name "Tarhun" for their tarragon-flavored drink.
Because of this, you could find "Tarhun" drinks made in both Estonia and Russia in stores. They were made by different companies and had slightly different recipes. In 2015, the Estonian company AS Tallinna Karastusjoogid stopped making "Tarhun." Now, stores in Estonia sell Tarkhuna drinks from Georgia, Lithuania, and Russia.
