An Aquavit Voyage with Viking Cruises
Amber-colored aquavit gains its color from being aged in oak barrels, although the spirit has a range of hues photo credit Lisa Mowry
Although not as universally known as other spirits, the vodka-like aquavit, which translates to “Water of Life” from Latin, is a star in Scandinavia. This caraway-and-dill-infused drink has been around since the 1500s, but thrives on modern-day Viking Cruises, particularly the “Viking Homelands” journey that covers territory we all associate with the hearty Vikings of yore: Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, along with neighboring Germany, Poland, and Estonia.
Getting Acquainted with Aquavit
The magnificent vista of Norwegian fjords in Eidfjord is a memorable backdrop for an aquavit cocktail photo credit Lisa Mowry
On Viking’s Saturn ship sailing through Scandinavia, I saw how the cruise line honors aquavit. A sunny, modern bar at the aft end of the ship is named Aquavit Terrace and is a good place to ease into the fragrant liquor. From the lounge’s menu, I chose the Viking Royal cocktail, made with the cruise line’s own brand, Viking Aquavit, mixed with sparkling wine. The added herbs give aquavit a pungent aftertaste to offset the sweetness of the wine. As an added bonus to the experience: 360-degree views of Norwegian fjords all around makes the local drink even more special.
Believed to have gained traction when 15th-century monks started brewing grain alcohol for medicinal purposes, the herbaceous drink is still popular in northern Europe history, and typically carries a 40 ABV. “In the harsh elements of Scandinavia, you can’t grow grapes, but you can grow herbs and spices,” says Viking Cruises Beverage Manager Edgar de Jaspi, explaining why the liquor made with potatoes or grain is distinguished by the caraway seeds and dill added to the spirit. It’s that pungent taste, “You might love it or not,” admits de Jaspi, that differentiates aquavit from vodka or gin. He is providing a tasting and tutorial in the ship’s Torshavn lounge, an opportunity that guests can book for themselves, as well. Small dishes of caraway and dill that he has set out are fragrant and memorable, joining star anise, which might make a cameo appearance in aquavit along with cinnamon and cardamon.
Sampling aquavit in the Torshavn lounge photo credit Lisa Mowry
De Jaspi has set up the three aquavit choices available on Viking cruises: Linie, which is made with potatoes and Nordic herbs, then matured in sherry casks. Gammel Opland, aged 3-6 years, has a darker color than the others because it’s aged in oak barrels, says de Jaspi. The cruise line also produces its own Viking Aquavit in a distinctive bottle adorned with a Viking ship. “Our aquavit is made in Bergen, but it’s only available on the ship,” says de Jaspi. “If you want to try it, you need to come take a cruise.”
Other ways Viking honors aquavit
In cocktails
Celebratory shots
Shore excursions for exploring, drinking and shopping
A sparkling wine aquavit cocktail photo credit Lisa Mowry
On Viking Cruises ships, aquavit can be served in cocktails—including a coffee drink—but traditionally, the spirit is consumed as a shot (or “snap” as it’s known there), or sipped in these special glasses that enhance the fragrant quality of aquavit. On the Viking Homelands cruise, trays of Viking Aquavit served in large shot glasses were freely distributed by waiters on “Taste of Norway” night. (It’s interesting to note that Scandinavian countries—including Norway, Sweden, and Finland—serve the spirit neat and at room temperature, whereas Denmark and Germany residents prefer it chilled, says de Jaspi.) On the cruise line’s popular European river cruises, any repeat guests (which the cruise line designates as members of its Explorer Society) are also treated to shots of aquavit in a souvenir branded shot glass during a celebratory cocktail reception.
Shots of aquavit are freely distributed in Norway to guests aboard Viking Saturn photo credit Lisa Mowry
The coolest and possibly the coldest aquavit experience occurs on Viking journeys that cross the Arctic Circle. A “Blue Nose” ceremony celebrates the crossing with an initiation ceremony for guests: first with a plunge into an ice-filled hot tub, and then crew members apply blue whipped cream on the nose and offer a shot of aquavit (ginger ale as a non-alcoholic version) to welcome new members.
Alongside the fjords, Viking museums, and fresh salmon, aquavit is part of the Scandinavian experience and deserves a taste in its homeland. De Jaspi maintains that it’s a digestif, as well, believed to have some of the health benefits long associated with this land full of hearty, hale, and happy people.
Off the ship, a Viking Cruises journey offers opportunities to sample aquavit (or, as it’s sometimes spelled in Scandinavia, “akvavit”) in local bars while docked nearby. In Stockholm, one of Europe’s most continental cities, Sweden’s Spritmuseum, or Museum of Spirits, covers the flavorings and celebratory features of aquavit. Patrons can also buy an aquavit tasting, which includes a Swedish version, O.P. Anderson.