White Spirits Guide | Gin, Vodka and Aquavit Explained

What Are White Spirits

White spirits are spirits that are bottled clear, without long ageing in wooden casks. They are distilled and usually bottled soon after production. The focus is on the character of the distillate itself or the ingredients added to it.

This makes them different from spirits like whisky or rum, where years in wood shape most of the flavour.

The main families of white spirits include gin, vodka and aquavit. Each starts with alcohol produced by fermentation and distillation. The difference lies in how the distiller shapes the flavour after that.

Some are kept neutral and clean. Others are infused with botanicals like herbs, seeds or citrus.

Historically, many white spirits began as ways to flavour rough early distillates with medicinal plants. Juniper became the base for gin, while dill and caraway defined aquavit in Scandinavia. 

Today they are refined spirits with clear traditions and distinct styles.

At Copenhagen Distillery, white spirits are part of our daily work. They allow a direct expression of ingredients, distillation technique and balance.

How White Spirits Are Made

All spirits begin with alcohol.

Sugar from grain or other crops is fermented by yeast, producing alcohol. That alcohol is then distilled to increase its strength and purity.

For many white spirits, the base alcohol is a neutral spirit. It has been distilled to a very high strength so that it carries very little flavour of its own. This allows the distiller to build flavour from scratch. 

After that, several techniques can shape the spirit.

Botanical extraction / Maceration

Plants such as herbs, spices or citrus peels are added to the alcohol. Their aroma compounds dissolve into the spirit. The botanicals can be soaked in alcohol for hours or days. This pulls flavour out slowly at room temperature.

Distillation with botanicals

The flavoured liquid can then be distilled again. Heat turns the alcohol into vapour, carrying aroma compounds with it. When the vapour condenses, the spirit becomes clearer and more balanced.

Vapour infusion

Hot alcohol vapour can also pass through fresh botanicals in a basket inside the still. This adds bright aromas without extracting heavier or bitter compounds. 

Finally, the spirit is diluted with water to the desired strength and rested before bottling.

Each step is a series of choices. The ingredients, the timing and the cut of the distillation all shape the final flavour.

Types of White Spirits

Gin

Gin is defined by juniper. The aroma of juniper berries must be the dominant flavour.

Most modern gin is made by redistilling neutral spirit with botanicals such as citrus peel, coriander, angelica or spices. In the EU, gin must be at least 37.5% alcohol by volume. 

London Dry gin follows stricter rules. All flavour must come from distillation. Nothing may be added afterwards except water.

At Copenhagen Distillery we work with the classical London Dry approach. It allows the botanicals and the distillation itself to define the spirit.

Vodka

Vodka takes the opposite approach to gin.

The goal is neutrality. Vodka is distilled to remove almost all flavour compounds. What remains is a clean spirit with a soft texture and minimal aroma.

Vodka can be produced from many raw materials, including grain, potatoes or other crops. What matters most is careful distillation and filtration.

Because vodka is so neutral, it works well in cocktails or as a base for infused spirits.

Aquavit

Aquavit is the traditional spirit of Scandinavia.

Its defining flavour comes from either caraway seed, dill seed, or both. Other botanicals can be added, but those two must dominate.

Historically aquavit developed alongside local food culture. It became part of Nordic meals and celebrations.

Some aquavits are aged in wood, which adds colour and deeper flavours. Others remain clear and fresh, closer to their botanical origin.

At Copenhagen Distillery we explore both sides of the category. Aquavit connects the craft of distillation with Nordic culinary traditions.

Other

There are many other spirits that also belong to the world of white spirits. Unaged tequila, eau de vie, slivovitz, raki and grappa are just a few examples.

They are different from the spirits above because they are driven by raw ingredients. The flavour comes directly from the produce used to make them.

In tequila, the type of agave and where it grows matters a lot. In a fruit spirit like Poire Williams, the quality of the pears defines the character of the distillate.

These spirits deserve their own conversation. We'll leave that for another guide.

White Spirits in Nordic Distilling

White spirits have a long place in Nordic culture.

Aquavit in particular grew from local ingredients and shared meals. It was a spirit made by people, for people. Gin arrived later through European distilling traditions.

Today the Nordic distilling scene combines both ideas. Craft and tradition meet modern equipment and contemporary taste.

At Copenhagen Distillery we see spirits as a meeting point between art, craft and science. The same thinking guides our work across whisky, gin and aquavit. 

White spirits are often where new ideas begin. They allow us to experiment with botanicals, distillation methods and flavour balance without the long wait of cask ageing.

They are immediate, precise and expressive.

Taste White Spirits in Copenhagen

If you want to understand white spirits, tasting them where they are made helps.

At our distillery in Copenhagen you can experience gin, aquavit and other spirits directly from the source. During guided tastings we explain how botanicals are chosen, how distillation shapes flavour, and how Nordic traditions influence our work.

You taste the spirits side by side and see how small changes in ingredients or technique create very different results.

Join a spirits tasting at Copenhagen Distillery and explore the world of white spirits with us.