Jesper Lind (Death & Co. Recipe)

Vesper Lind is James Bond's beau. This is the woman for whom he never married. And we all have had a Vesper or a 007 Martinii. This is different. In fact if I was to suggest a  Bond Enemy drink, this might be it. 

There is a lot of richness in the nose: vanilla and orange. When you sip it is full of raisin from the sherry and herbal notes from the gin and aquavit. And that last bit is where the name comes from: a common masculine name in Norway, Jesper. All of which hints at the addition of aquavit as a botanical ingredient. This is the dude drink to match Bond's woman. And I'm down with that. It's richer and more herbaceous. There's no vodka to tame it down. The flavor is full and ready. 

What it lacks is garnish, if that is even necessary. At a cool bar like Death & Co., I'd be surprised if that was even necessary. And truthfully, you don't need lemon oil from the twist or a cherry to throw off the perfection of the individual ingredients. 

• 1 1/2oz. dry gin (homemade bathtub used)
• 3/4 oz. Lustau East India Solera Sherry
• 1/2 oz. Linie aquavit (homemade used)
• 1 tsp vanilla syrup 
• 1 dash orange bitters

Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a coupe glass. 

Enemy Lines

 

So there's the Allies cocktail with kummel and gin, and now there's Enemy Lines. This is a fun way to combine tequila and aquavit in a similar format--rich and strong with no sugar. The way it works is bitters and more bitters and a little lemon zest give this drink body where normally there would be all spirits. 

Furthermore, it is unlikely that the reposado tequila and aquavit combo would work at all, except that both are herbaceous and funky. It is really a testament to the bonding power of bitters--in high quantity--to make this happen. Is it good? Better than you'd think, and possibly one of the best all spirits cocktails involving tequila. 

• 1 1/2oz. reposado tequila (El Jimador used)
• 3/4 oz. aquavit (homemade akvavit used)
•  4 dashes Peychauds bitters
• 1 dash aromatic bitters (Hella used)
  
• lemon twist 

Combine all ingredients except lemon twist in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into an Old Fashioned glass. Twist lemon zest over the drink and discard.

AquaBeet Martini (Original Recipe)

Is that a pickled beet in your Martini? I think the better question is: "Is that even considered a Martini? The answer is yes, insofar as the Dirty Martini is counted along with the classic recipe.

Aquavit is a Scandinavian spirit flavored with caraway and other herbs. It is similar to gin, but it has a lot in common with a flavored vodka. It is savory, so aquavit can be used in Bloody Mary's and briny Martinis. This is important because the brine in this Martini is pickled beet juice!

• 2 oz. aquavit (homemade used but Aalborg or Linie are good or better for this purpose)
• 1/2 oz. pickled beet juice
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth (Carpano dry used)
• pickled beet

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the pickled beet. 

Copenhagen Dream

Again the capital of Denmark gets a cocktail named after it. This time it is a citrus and cream like the Tivoli 2. The difference is that there is gin and egg white.

When you do an egg white cocktail in an Old Fashioned glass with ice, you want to blend it--particularly if the drink includes citrus juice and cream. The curdled look on ice cubes is a real turn off. And while you can get away with a drink like this served up or neat, it just looks better on blended ice than it will with cubes or even crushed ice.

Did I like this drink? Not more or less than the Tivoli 2, but gin drinkers, those who like an egg white sour and blended drinks. The aquavit is more understated in this drink because of the gin and it comes off like a before-dinner drink more than a dessert.

• 1 1/2 oz. gin (MurLarkey ImaGination gin used)
• 1/2 oz. aquavit (homemade used)
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar syrup
• 1 tsp. heavy cream
• 1/2 egg white (or 1 egg white for two drinks: i.e. double the recipe)

Combine all ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled Old Fashioned glass. 

Viking Cocktail

What better combination of Nordic ingredients than aquavit and Swedish punsch for a drink called a Viking? I love how this lime sour is bursting with herbal flavors, both Scandinavian and equatorial. This may be my new favorite sour cocktail.

Swedish punsch is a rum based liqueur with clove, cardamon and lemon slices. There's black tea in there and sugar syrup too. It is sweet and doesn't require sweetening to balance the other ingredients.

• 1 1/2oz. Swedish punsch
• 1 oz. aquavit
• 1 oz. lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Tivoli Cocktail (#2?)

Though there's no number with this drink's title, there is another Tivoli Cocktail with bourbon. This is a tart and creamy blended cocktail that really makes aquavit very palatable. It is more fitting than a stiff bourbon drink: it is likely that such a drink would be offered at the famed Danish theme park. I can even imagine them serving it to kids because they have such a relaxed culture towards children having alcohol.

• 1 1/2 oz. aquavit (homemade akvavit used)
• 1/4 oz. kirschwasser (Kammer Kirsh used)
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. sugar syrup
• 1 oz. cream

Combine aquavit, kirsch, lime juice and sugar in a blender with cracked ice. Blend briefly to mix. Add the cream and increase the speed to frappe. Pour into a wine goblet. (I used an ice cream dish.)

Tivoli Cocktail

This is a rich and rewarding cocktail made with bourbon and punched up with aquavit. Though aquavit is a Scandinavian spirit and bourbon comes from Kentucky, this is an all-local cocktail.

Ragged Branch bourbon is an excellent wheated bourbon out of Charlottesville, Virginia. This Mt. Defiance sweet vermouth comes from Middleburg, Virginia. And I made this aquavit with MurLarkey Justice white whiskey from Bristow. The cocktail also calls for a dash of Campari. I regret that I drank all my Campari a while ago and resorted to a citrus bitters that I made to mimic Campari. Again, that bitters was made with local moonshine, so I felt like it was a fitting decision.

• 1 1/2 oz. bourbon (Ragged Branch wheated used)
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Mt. Defiance used)
• 1/2 oz. aquavit (homemade used)
• dash Campari

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Aquavit Sour

If you can make a sour out of just about anything, why not make it with Aquavit? The Nordic spirit is very light, almost like a dry gin. It goes with tart, sweet and savory cocktails. It just stands to reason that this cocktail will work.

With that in mind, remember that caraway and coriander flavors are toasty and fit savory drinks. Its probably better to go a little easier on sugar and let the acid and herb flavors dance here.

• 2 oz. aquavit
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. sugar or 1/2 oz. sugar syrup (or to taste)
• maraschino cherry and orange zest garnishes

Combine aquavit, lemon juice and sugar in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange twist and maraschino cherry. 

Danish Borscht

Borscht is a mild tasting beet soup common in Eastern and Northern Europe. It is the perfect ingredient to add savoriness as well as sweet notes to a cocktail made with aquavit. It also creates a beautiful red color.

This blender drink (and I do recommend using a blender for the right texture) is a lot like having a cold soup with alcohol at the same time. The effect of the sour cream gives it additional texture that is so enjoyable, you forget that it is a cocktail you are drinking.

• 1-2 oz. aquavit
• 4 oz. cold beet borscht
• dash Tabasco sauce
• dash lemon juice
• sour cream

Combine aquavit, borscht, lemon and hot sauce with cracked ice in a blender. Blend until thick, not watery, and pour into a chilled Old Fashioned glass. Add a dollop of sour cream on top as a garnish.

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. 

The Oresund

The Oresund refers to the strait that separates Denmark from Sweden. The use of aquavit or akvavait is what separates this Bloody Mary variation from many others.

Aquavit is a Scandinavian herbal infusion in vodka. It is savory, with lots of caraway as the principal ingredients, but also extending to coriander, fennel, and anise seed. That's what I added to my homemade aquavit. You can buy yours from the liquor store if its available where you live, but it is a lot of fun to experiment with flavor combinations. Learning to love aquavit is its own pleasure.

• 2 oz. akvavit (aquavit)
• 2 oz. V-8 juice
• 2 oz. tomato juice
• 2 oz. clam juice
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 
• pinch of finely chopped dill
• pinch finely chopped parsley
• sprig of fresh dill for garnish

Combine all ingredients except for garnish in a Collins or highball glass full of ice and stir. Garnish with the dill sprig. 

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. 

Norwegian Paralysis (Smuggler's Cove)

This is such a fun use of aquavit, the savory herb-infused spirit of the Scandinavian countries. The bottle pictured is Swedish Osterlenkryddors akvavit herb kit, but I refilled it with my own aquavit recipe. The rest is remarkably simple--you make a fruit punch. Aquavit is savory, with coriander, caraway seeds, fennel seeds and other herbs. (I added birch and angelica seeds in mine.) It goes great with citrus and pineapple.

• 1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 12 oz. orange juice
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/4 demerara syrup
• 1/2 oz. orgeat
• 1 1/2 oz. aquavit (D.I.Y. used)
• lemon wedge and umbrella garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnishes in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled highball glass full of fresh ice. Garnish with a tiny umbrella stuck into lemon wedge.

DIY Aquavit/ Akvavit With MurLarkey Spirits

Aquavit or Akvavit is a Scandanavian spirit that's enjoyed during the winter holidays. It is easy to make, and inexpensive. All you need is vodka and a few herbs and spices.

The primary flavor in Aquavit is caraway seed, but cumin, coriander, fennel and dill are common ingredients. The best thing about making your own Aquavit is the fun of experimenting with your botanical blend and ageing times.

I usually use about three tablespoons of caraway, cumin, coriander and fennel in a bottle of vodka like Smirnoff 57, which is 100-proof and can really absorb flavors quickly. Store this in a sealed container in a cool dark place. I remove the solids after about two days to a week.

This is my third batch of Aquavit and I'm doing things differently. First I wanted to get away from an entirely neutral grain base. MurLarkey Divine Clarity vodka is pretty tasteless, but it is made from potato. I used two cups of this vodka. (Note: any clear distilled spirit can be used to make Aquavit as long as it is not already flavored.) Then I used a cup of MurLarkey Justice white whiskey. It has a grassy taste of a young whiskey that I think will compliment my botanicals.

Speaking of...in addition to the usual caraway, cumin, coriander and fennel, I added Icelandic birch leaves for dry earthiness and angelica seeds for floral spice. This should be an amazing batch this winter and I am excited to see how it turns out!

Midnight Sun

Aquavit is a Scandinavian liqueur that's made from infusing cumin, coriander and fennel in grain spirits like vodka. It is a little more herbal than gin, not as bright or peppery, but far more savory. These flavors work great with grapefruit juice, almost like having a Salty Dog with herbs rather than salt. Add an orange slice to make it look like a low-hanging sun on the horizon.

Drinking Midnight Sun makes one wonder what the world would be like without gin. Think about it. If Dr. Sylvius had never experimented with distilling herbal infusions with juniper, or even if he had and the idea just never caught on to become the base spirit of half the cocktails out there, aquavit might have risen in its place.

And it is good, but it takes some getting used to. This Osterlenkryddors kit is making about a dozen cocktails for me just from filling the bottle with 100-proof vodka.

• 2 oz. aquavit
• 2 oz. grapefruit juice
• 1/2 tsp. grenadine 
• orange slice

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange slice on the rim.

Aquavit & Tonic

What if gin never caught on? Think about it. How unlikely was it that a Dutch doctor experimented with infusing herbs into alcohol and his results ended up being the base spirit for nearly half the classic cocktails in the books.

What if a Swedish liqueur had been used? Aquavit and gin are nearly the same, an infusion of herbs in grain neutral spirit. Aquavit does not have juniper, though, and the fennel and cumin flavors are pretty dank. Use them in a Aquavit & Tonic only if you are sure you can handle the switch, and imagine that there's no such thing as a Gin & Tonic.

• 2 oz. aquavit
• tonic water
• lime wedge (orange slice recommended)

Build drink with aquavit in a Collins glass full of ice. Top with tonic water and stir. Garnish with lime wedge or orange slice. 

Fjord

Slartibartfast, that god-like character in Douglas Adam's 's increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker Guide To The Galaxy trilogy, says he likes designing continents like Sweden and Norway with fjord because they have a pleasingly "baroque feel." This drink has that feel with Österlenkryddors akvavit or aquavit. 

The home kit is complete and giving drinks a fun herbal kick that's beyond the realm of juniper botanicals found in gins. Cumin, coriander, and fennel are savory flavors that actually pair well with the sweetness of juice drinks and brandy. 

• 2 oz. brandy
• 1 oz. aquavit (Österlenkryddors used)
• 2 oz. orange juice
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 2 tsp. grenadine

 Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Post-Modern Lemonade

This "lemonade" drink (I use quotes because it is pretty much like calling a Long Island Iced Tea a "tea" drink) is the cocktail equivalent to Picasso's Guernica. Its a modern masterpiece with so much texture, a collage of flavors from different countries. It is called Post-Modern because, like the literature and art categorized in this period, it represents a blend of nationalities and a multiplicity of points of view. Were Picasso to paint this drink, you would see it repeated in various perspectives and colors.

Sloe gin, a British country spirit, adds sweetness, while slivovitz is a plum brandy from the Czech Republic. Aquavit (or akvavit) is a gin-like spirit made from cumin, coriander and fennel. This is the akvavit kit from Osterlenkryddors that I made a few weeks ago. It stands out under all the liqueurs and brandies, not to mention lemonade, in this cocktail. Then there's dry sherry, the fruity fortified wine of Spain that goes well with citrus juice. All of these come together in a sparkling lemonade, the fizz lifting some flavors to the forefront while you sip. It took a while to acquire all these ingredients, but this drink was well worth the effort.

• 2 oz. sloe gin
• 2 oz. dry sherry 
• 1 tbsp. slivovitz 
• 1 oz. aquavit
• 3 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• sparkling water
• lemon twist

Combine all ingredients except sparkling water and lemon twist in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass full of fresh ice. Top with sparkling water and garnish with the twist.