Seattle Aquavit Week is a celebration of traditional Scandinavian spirit. With almost 30 different domestic Aquavits in production in the United States, this versatile liquor is one of the fastest growing distillery categories in the country, yet often misunderstood and difficult to find.
Join us for All Things Aquavit in Seattle from December 6-12, 2015. Bars and cocktails, education and events, food and specials all provide a wide range of activities and experiences for experienced enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike.
Balanced, strong flavor, primarily caraway.
Caraway, Anise, Orange
Balanced, strong flavor.
Primarily caraway with slight hint of licorice Caraway, Anise, Fennel
Mid strength flavor, very dry, no single dominant spice – well balanced.
Caraway, Bog Myrtle, Lemon Peel
Strong, slightly peppery flavor, cardamom forward.
Caraway, Cardamom
Aromatic, sweet baking spices, primarily nutmeg and coriander
Star Anise, Coriander, Caraway, Cloves, fresh Orange Peel
Balanced and sweet, fennel forward.
Caraway, Dill, Fennel
Strong flavor and aroma, primarily anise.
Caraway, Anise, Fennel
Strong rye bread flavor.
Caraway, Mustard, Alder wood, 40% abv
Very strong rye bread and mustard flavor. Slightly hazy.
Caraway, Mustard, Alder wood, 60% abv
Complex, sweet rye bread and licorice.
Caraway, Anise, Fennel, Oak Cask
Soft, aromatic, fresh dill and dry pickle.
Caraway, Dill, Lemon, Vanilla Bean, Dill Pollen
Woodsy, caraway forward with a hint of dill seed.
Caraway, Dill Seed, Dill Pollen
Lemon and spice aquavit, citrus forward, dry caraway finish.
Caraway, Lemon Peel, Grains of Paradise
Perryn and Desiree Wright may be more familiar to the public from their involvement with the now-defunct Scandinavian Aquavit bar, the Copper Gate, where they were responsible for introducing an entire generation of Seattle drinkers to Aquavit. Join these "professional enthusiasts" for an evening of Aquavit education, Nordic inspired small bites, and cocktails at their newest venture, the Teacher’s Lounge in Greenwood. Meet the distillers and have a drink with Seattle's original Aquavit experts.
Join Cody Morris and Travis Kukull for an evening of aquavit cocktails and food pairings featuring aquavit and distilled honey wine from Hardware Distillery in Hoodsport. Better known for creating food paring beers, the duo will be offering up select aquavit and appetizer pairings in their hip new SLU location.
Interested in aquavit? Curious about what it is, or how it's made? Come to Tom Douglas' Carlile Room for an informal meet and greet with local area craft Aquavit distillers from the Old Ballard Liquor Co, Sound Spirits, Hardware Distillery and more! Sip on delicious aquavit cocktails and learn everything you never knew you wanted to know about this esoteric Scandinavian spirit.
If you're not a member of the Nordic Heritage Museum, you'll be left out of their Members Preview night of their newest exhibit, "Skål! Scandinavian Spirits". Presented by Linie and Aalborg aquavits and created by the Museum of Danish America, this exhibition explores the culinary history of beer and aquavit, follows those drinking traditions to Scandinavian-American communities and answers questions like, "What IS aquavit, anyway?" and "How do you Skål correctly?" Fun, informative, and engaging, Seattle is the second stop for this nationally travelling museum exhibition. The evening will kick off with an introduction by Tova Brandt, Albert Ravenholt Curator of Danish-American Culture. Later in the evening, join Christer Olsen of Arcus for a presentation about Linie and Aalborg aquavits.
Herb and Bitter has been on the cutting edge of herbal cocktail development in Seattle, and this evening is no exception. Join the crew at their Capitol Hill location in Seattle for a night of botanical exploration and close out the week with a bang!
Aquavit is a savory botanical digestif native to Scandinavia. It is produced with techniques similar to those used in gin production but instead of juniper, the primary spice in Aquavit is caraway - a flavor most commonly associated with rye bread.
In Scandinavia, aquavit is typically served and paired with food, much in the same way as wine. It is not unusual to find a trained sommalier presenting a different bottle of aquavit carefully paired with each course of a meal in an Oslo or Stockholm restaurant. Additionally, "Snapas" - artfully presented small bites paired carefully with tiny shots of Aquavit - is gaining popularity in sophisticated Nordic restaurant communities.
Hundreds of different Aquavits are produced in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, each with their own set of flavors and production secrets but only one or two are imported to the United States, keeping many Americans from ever experiencing this amazing and versatile spirit. Domestic distillers have worked quickly since around 2008 to produce a wide variety of flavors, colors, and styles for the American market. However, Aquavit is still often misunderstood and distribution is usually limited to the immediate area around a distillery that produces it. Washington State is fortunate to have almost 20 different aquavits available to restaurants and consumers.
Whether you’re a restaurant interested in participating, or just someone with a question, you can email us here.
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Or check out other Aquavit Week cities below:
Portland, OR