Great Northern (Death & Co.)

 

No surprises here. Akvavit, honey and bitter orange flavors are amazing together. The Death & Co. cocktail book says that akvavit is often overlooked because it doesn't appear in any classic cocktails and that the four drinks they offer are an attempt to remedy that. 

I've been singing the praises ever since someone gave me a taste of homemade akvavit. Now I make it myself with vodka and MurLarkey justice white whiskey. A combination of both gives the cocktail an herbal spiciness that is quite unlike any other spirit. It can go savory or sweet or, in this case, a little of both.

A note on acacia honey: this is an unusual honey made from the narrow-leafed tree. It is usually raw and has bits of the comb in it, so you can make the syrup, but you should strain it through mesh, or double strain the cocktail. I got mine as a travel gift from some western state, and I was glad I discovered it for this drink.

• 2 oz. akvavit (homemade used)
• 3/4 oz lillet blanc
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. acacia honey syrup
• 2 orange crescents as garnishes

 Shake (short shake) all ingredients except garnishes with 3 ice cubes and strain them into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with the orange slices.

Elderflower Grapefruit Akvavit Sour (Moody Mixologist Recipe)

 

Let me go on the record that a list of ingredients in the drink isn't a name. At least we pretty much know how to make this cocktail just by reading the name. But I have to say that there is a lot of good things going on with this cocktail. A Sour is always a crowd pleaser, but the well-kept secret that akvavit and grapefruit juice, plus the elderflower notes of St. Germain, is a stroke of genius. 

Funny enough, I'm using my own akvavit, and even though this bottle of St. Germain is authentic, the liqueur is my own combination of elderflower syrup and raw spirits. It's a good substitution, however. For my raw spirit, I use Smirnoff #56 for hit 100-proof kick. It is also 2-1 with MurLarkey Justice white whiskey in my homemade akvavit. Even if you don't like the herbaceous flavor of akvavit, you should give this cocktail a try. It has a lot of things that will win over most people, even if they are shy about trying unusual spirits. 

• 1 1/2 oz. akvavit (homemade used)
• 1 oz. pink grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz. elderflower liqueur (homemade used)
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. sugar syrup
• lemon twist

Combine all liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist lemon zest over the glass and drop it in. 

Great Northern (Difford's Guide)

This is another amazing akvavit cocktail on the Difford's Guide website. Once again akvavit is paired with orange flavors, which works surprisingly well. In this cocktail, though, it is bitter oranges in Lillet Blanc and the sweet and bitter orange notes of triple sec that provide the orange boost, and a fresh orange slice makes for a juicy treat.

Besides the aperitif wine and triple sec, this cocktail differintiates itself from an Akvavit Sour by using honey to provide sweetness. Honey syrup (2:1 ratio honey to hot water) feels more festive than white sugar and gives a drink like this a more natural and rustic style. Underneath all that sweetness is the bold and bracing akvavit with its earthy notes of caraway, anise seed and fennel, which only makes sure that there is plenty of depth in what could have been a bright and sweet orange cocktail.

• 2 oz. akvavit (homemade used)
• 3/4 oz Lillet Blanc
• 1/2 oz. triple sec
  
• 1/2 oz. honey syrup
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• orange slice garnish

Combine all ingredients except orange slice with cracked ice in a shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass full of fresh ice. Garnish with the orange slice.

 

Akvatini

It only stands to reason that akvavit would make a fine savory cocktail. Add to it the pickled flavor of anchovies and you have something very Scandanavian!

I've not been a big fan of anchovies until now. It seems that you have to adjust your palate to them, and part of that comes with proper pairings. Akvavit is the key, I think. It's hard to find anchovy-stuffed olives, so I just did it myself. No big deal.

• 2-3 oz. Akvavit
• 1 dash to 1/4 oz. dry vermouth
• anchovy stuffed olives

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with olives. 

Copenhagen Cocktail

Scandanavia meets Virginia with this locally made Martini variation. Swapping some of the gin of the traditional Martini for aquavit makes for a spicy treat that is excellent in winter. The Danes like their aquavit with beer and pickles, I included pickled tomatoes, but olives or gherkins will do just fine.

This is an all MurLarkey cocktail with ImaGination Gin and an Aquavit made from MurLarkey Divine Clarity vodka and Justice white whiskey, and bottled with a label from a defunct Danish distiller. It is especially dank. Try it to shake things up with your Martini.

• 1 oz. gin (MurLarkey ImaGination gin used)
• 1 oz. Aquavit (Homemade Akavavit used)
•  dash dry vermouth
• stuffed olives or pickles (pickled tomatoes used)

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with pickles or olives.