Is it Akvavit, Akevitt or Aquavit?
Despite how you may have seen throughout various countries and brands, the Etymology of the iconic Scandinavian spirit harkens back to the poetic latin ‘Aqua Vitae’ meaning ‘Water of Life.’
You may have found yourself, at one point or another, slightly confused about the difference between the use of the various spellings for Aquavit.
This sense of curious bewilderment is completely understandable, however, as there are no hard and fast rules that govern the distinctions between them. While various forms of the spirit can be drawn back to the middle ages, Aquavit, Akevitt or Akvavit have been a staple part of Scandinavian culture going back to the 1500’s, where the spirit became more of a cultural mainstay and the various languages assimilated the latin Aqua Vitae into their own languages.
The confusion is even further exemplified by the fact that the spirit also has specific flavour and process characteristics that are local to each country.
The confusion is even further exemplified by the fact that the spirit also has specific flavour and process characteristics that are local to each country.
Aquavit must legally be made by flavouring agricultural ethanol with distillates of either dill seed or caraway. it is a lot like gin, which must be flavoured dominantly with juniper, but the nordic choice of botanicals gives the spirit a more food oriented direction, making it versatile for food pairings as well as cocktail making.
Traditionally, Danish Akvavit has a cleaner profile of caraway or dill, in the latter instance with a focus on the green fresh flavour of dill fronds, with very little emphasis on barrel aging. Most danish distilleries were situated within the city walls, and there was thus very little need for transportation of the spirit, which is historically why we put the spirit into barrels. You can find our examples of contemporary Danish akvavit here.
Norwegian Akevitt often mixes dill seed and caraway with more exotic spice like grains of paradise and star anise. and has its own set of rules on top of the EU mandated requirements. Barrel aging and potatoes are a part of this, and to be called a Norsk Fatmotnet, (Norwegian barrel aged) the akvavit must be made from primarily Norwegin potatoes and left in oak barrel for a minimum of 6 months. Swedish Akvavit is known to have a more mild flavour, with notes of dill, caraway and fennel. elderflower is not uncommon.
Swedish akvavit is commonly enjoyed in the summer for cray fish parties and this is reflected in the lighter profile.
Finnish and Icelandic aquavits are very diverse but tend to emphasise caraway with very little aging.
Similar to the confusion that occurs around the spelling of “whiskey” or “whisky,” the naming convention for Aquavit is purely subjective, as each of the respective countries have brands that defy norms and use an alternative spelling. For us, while we are a Danish company, we have chosen to forgo the traditional Danish spelling “Akvavit” for the English spelling.