Scandinavia, norwegian christmas bread it has been produced since the 15th century. The word aquavit derives from the Latin aqua vitae, “water of life. Compare the words whisky or whiskey, from Gaelic uisce beatha, which has the same meaning. Akvavit is an important part of Nordic drinking culture, where it is often drunk during festive gatherings, such as Christmas dinners and the Midsummer celebration, and as an aperitif.

Akvavit must be distilled from an agricultural base, most commonly grain or potatoes. Similarly to Gin it is flavored with botanicals. The dominant flavors must be caraway or dill, sometimes both. The recipes and flavours differ between brands, with each brand’s unique characteristics coming from distillation methods and supporting botanicals in their blends.

Dear lord, will your grace know that I send your grace some water with messenger Jon Teiste which is called Aqua vite and the same water helps for all his illness that a man can have internally. The earliest known reference to “aquavit” is found in a 1531 letter from the Danish Lord of Bergenshus castle, Eske Bille to Olav Engelbrektsson, the last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Norway. While this claim for the medicinal properties of the drink may be rather inflated, aquavit is popularly believed to ease the digestion of rich foods. In Denmark, it is traditionally associated with Christmas and Easter lunches.