US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has given her approval of arguably Scotland’s national drink.
The New York Representative tried Irn-Bru at the Cop26 UN climate summit in Glasgow on Wednesday, and compared the orange soft drink to Kola Champagne – another “soda” popular in Latin America.
Posting on Instagram earlier in the week, the Democrat said she wanted to try Irn-Bru while in Scotland.
She later tweeted: “I finally got a hold of some Irn-Bru.”
Later, Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted a photo of herself and Ocasio-Cortez posing with a can.
She wrote: “Amidst all the serious business at #Cop26 today, I’m pleased to also report that @AOC now has a supply of Irn-Bru.”
Early on Wednesday, in response to a question on whether she has sampled the bright orange, fizzy drink, she posted: “I am trying to get my hands on some!
“So far it’s been non-stop work with no real independent time so I am hoping for a window to find some.
“The schedule has us leave early and get back late.
“Where do I find it?? Do y’all have bodegas here?”
Responding to another question, she repeated her wish to try Irn-Bru and said she also wants to “touch Harris tweed and see a castle”.
She said the delegation’s schedule is “jammed” but she hopes to have a “few hours in the next few days for us to actually see this beautiful place”.
Ocasio-Cortez later posted an Instagram video of her drinking her first can of Irn-Bru in a “moment of truth”.
She said: “Oh my God, love it, love it.
“This tastes just like Kola Champagne.”
She added in a comment: “I was so shocked at having something in Glasgow that tasted like home.
“However Irn-Bru is also very unique on its own.
“It’s got pizzaz. I like it!”
On Tuesday, the congresswoman spoke at a press conference at the climate summit and also attended an event on gender and the climate crisis at which the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, made a speech.
A spokesperson for Irn-Bru said: “It’s phenomenal that Scotland’s ginger nectar has made such a splash with delegates from across the globe.”
