Licensing Board slaps restaurant for serving hard liquor; says vodka wasn't infused enough to be a cordial

Sgt. Robert Mulvey contemplates some of the bottles seized at Vlora, at Tuesday hearing.

The Boston Licensing Board says the nature of the booze seized from Vlora was as clear as some of the bottles it came in: It was hard liquor, which the Albanian place on Boylston Street is not allowed to sell.

The board yesterday meted out a three-day license suspension for the restaurant for being caught serving mixed drinks at a private function on July 1. The restaurant, which is only licensed to sell beer, wine and liqueurs, was caught with a variety of bottles of vodka, rum, bourbon and whiskey.

Vlora used the same argument successfully raised by Cafe Meridian in East Boston when it was caught serving what appeared to be the hard stuff: That flavorings or sugar added to the bottles made the liquids liqueurs. But while the board agreed with Cafe Meridian that tequila mixed with liqueurs and vodka infused with anise are cordials, it ruled the Pinnacle Vodka and various other liquors seized at Vlora were not cordial enough.

The board also ordered the restaurant to shut down for one day for having nearly 50 more people inside than allowed by its occupancy permit. The board decided not to punish Vlora for having a DJ without a permit.

Vlora can decide when to shut its doors for the suspensions - if it doesn't appeal to the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission.