At the beginning of the 19th century, Aalborg in the north of Jutland already had a reputation as the city of "snaps". In 1838, Isidor Henius, originally from Poland, constructed so-called column stills in Denmark and soon produced the first fusel oil-free alcohol. We have him to thank for the incomparable aquavit.
Manufacture
Aquavit belongs to Nordic hospitality like pretzels to Munich. Aquavit is also an indispensable accompaniment to hearty cuisine. The difference between an aquavit and a traditional grain brandy lies in the special aroma, which is characterized by exquisite spices, elderflower, fennel, aniseed, juniper blossom and always caraway.
This is distilled again in a second distillation process with the best caraway seeds and a unique blend of herbs, which is the secret of the respective producer company. The middle run of this process is the so-called spice distillate, which is mixed with neutral alcohol and distilled water in the aquavit tank until the desired ratio is achieved. This is followed by maturation, which can be very time-consuming depending on the quality. Old sherry or port wine barrels are often used for this to give the clear spirit its individual note and color.
Aquavit line - why line?
It belongs to the most exquisite variety produced in Norway: the Aquavit line.
After a long period of storage in sherry casks, Linie Aquavit begins its journey overseas. The journey begins on overseas freighters from the shipping company in Oslo to Sydney in Australia and back again, through 17 time zones, tropical temperatures and icy cold. And more importantly, he passes the magic line, the equator, twice.
The constant rocking in time with the waves does not allow the distillate to settle and is one of the secrets that give the Aquavit line its special character. At the end of each voyage, the name of the ship and the duration of the voyage are noted on the bottle as proof of quality. Would you like to find out how long your Linie Aquavit has been at sea? Ask us for your ice-cold specimen: rocked, not stirred.
