President Alexander Stubb discovers decades-old drinks at Kultaranta
President Alexander Stubb has shared details of an unusual discovery made at the presidential summer residence, Kultaranta. During a tour of the estate’s recently renovated original potato cellar with his spouse, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, the couple found a basket containing "refreshment drinks" from the late 1950s, dating back to President Urho Kekkonen’s era.
The basket included a variety of beverages, such as lingonberry lemonade, Tähkä vodka, Koskenkorva vodka, vermouth, aquavit, and Pastis. Stubb described the find as "a rather remarkable contemporary treasure" in a post shared on Facebook and Instagram (Iltalehti). The drinks have since been removed from the cellar and placed on display, with Stubb clarifying that they are "not for drinking" (Ilta-Sanomat; Iltalehti).
The discovery occurred during a visit to Kultaranta, which underwent a renovation between 2022 and 2024. Stubb praised the restoration as a "fine work of cultural history" (Ilta-Sanomat).
Public reactions to the find have been lighthearted, with many social media comments adopting a humorous tone. One commenter suggested, "Go ahead and take a swig of that Koskenkorva—let history’s breeze guide your decisions. Your hair won’t fall out just because you’re drinking Kekkonen’s drinks" (Iltalehti).
