Beverage of the Week (BOW)
Linie Aquavit
Product Story
The spirit is made with a potato base distilled in pot stills, which is quite evident on the silky and textured palate. The primary flavors are caraway with a vibrant dose of aniseed. The deep golden color comes from Oloroso Sherry cask aging at sea aboard a vessel that crosses the equator twice. I would normally be tempted to call out such a dramatic marketing ploy but the resulting spirit is so lovely that I dare not suggest the slightest change of course. 96 points.
Brand Story
Linie is the oldest existing brand of Aquavit and perhaps the most highly regarded. The brand's name is inspired by the unusual process of taking the spirit on a sea journey crossing the equator and back. Linie is Norwegian for "line" and the line in reference is the equator. In 1821, Jørgen B. Lysholm founded his distillery near Trondheim, Norway. Decades previous to building the distillery Lysholm along with his sister had several ships built destined to engage in trade in the Far East. On one of their voyages in 1806 they had included five barrels of potato spirit they hoped to sell. Fortunately there were no takers and spirit remained on board. When crossing the equator on their way home the crew tapped a cask of the unsold spirit for a toast. To their delight they discovered that the raw spirit had become round, smooth, and complex thanks to the journey at sea. The rest, as they say, is history as Linie Aquavit was born.
Tasting Note
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with the scents of caraway and anise with supporting notes of dill seed, orange peel, clove, dried figs, and vanilla. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich spice and fruit core as the Sherry cask flavors come alive with accents of citrus and peppermint. Medium-bodied with too many layers of fruit and spice to dissect with bright acidity aiding in the perfect balance.
How to Serve
Aquavit is most often consumed at holidays sipped slowly from a shot glass while served at room temperature. However, this nectar is finding its way into cocktails but it's a bold and tricky flavor to handle. We like it neat, after dinner or with smoked fish.
Price: $ 29.99
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