Michigan Aquavit – A Nordic Spirit With a Midwestern Twist

The Michigan Aquavit is having its crossover moment in the United States. A longtime outlier in American back bars, aquavit is enjoying a healthy appreciation from both bartenders and distillers. Often flavored with caraway and dill, the savory sipper stands out among a back bar’s gin-heavy roster.

Michigan Aquavit: A Local Spirit with Global Influence

The popularity of aquavit is fueled by its versatility and robustness in craft cocktails. It’s an ideal ingredient for mixers who need a strong base to carry the weight of other ingredients. And it can serve as a substitute for gin or vodka in recipes calling for an assertive spirit with plenty of botanicals.

Its practicality makes aquavit an attractive option for a small distillery. As such, producers in Oregon (like House Spirits Krogstad Festlig Aquavit) and California (Geijer Aquavit) produce the spirit along with a number of Midwestern distilleries, including Detroit’s Norden. The distillery’s unaged version is infused with ten whole organic or wild-crafted botanicals (caraway seed, dill seed, clementine peel, orange peel, star anise, orris root, licorice root and staghorn sumac).

Minneapolis’ Tattersall Distilling’s top-notch aquavit is distilled from corn and infused with a mix of herbs and spices. The distillery’s oak-aged version is mellowed with the addition of vanilla. Meanwhile, Grand Rapids’ Long Road Distillers has a popular barrel aged aquavit that’s flavored with caraway and dill. The spirit earned a gold medal at this year’s American Craft Spirits Competition in Nashville, Tennessee.