Distiller Notes
Åhus, is a tiny seaside village in southern Sweden. At the center of Åhus lies the Spiritchurch, the heart and soul of our town. Built in 1906, this four-story copper still distillery has been been home to generations of passion and craftsmanship and continues to operate today.
Akvavit, aquavit, or aqua vitae (“water of life” in Latin), was created during the 15th century by monks as a medicine comprised of secret botanical blends, soaked and distilled into a clear spirit and believed to have mystical properties.
Used for over a century to cure both physical and spiritual ailments, aquavit’s alleged healing benefits were eventually dismissed as superstition and bottles migrated from apothecaries to dinner tables. Swedish families and friends raised tiny snaps glasses filled with the chilled spirit in celebration of life, health and happiness. To this day, no festivity is complete without it.
Today, there are strict set of legal standards in order for a spirit to be a true aquavit. The primary flavor has to be caraway and/or dill, produced using a rectified spirit and at least 37.5% alcohol by volume. In order to be considered a true Swedish aquavit, it must also contain fennel.
A German word originally referring to the amount of a single pour, Schnapps is equivalent to the English ‘shot’ or ‘dram.’ Later, the term came to be associated with any type of strong alcoholic drink and began picking up regional styles and production methods. For example, Schnapps made in northern Europe are typically based on grain spirits and flavored with herbs, while Schnapps made in southern and central Europe are clear Brandies distilled from fermented fruit. Traditional European Schnapps contain no sugar or flavoring agents, whereas Schnapps made in America and other New World countries are generally much less expensive and include both flavors and sweeteners.