Akvavit - the Menthol Cigarette of Booze?

[VWFringe]

embrace the Licorice, cuz it's damn strong, EDIT: they spin it as tasting like rye bread, lol

in fact, I think it's the menthol cigarette of booze
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Wikipedia:
Akvavit is an important part of Scandinavian drinking culture. Akvavit is often drunk during a formal procedure called "drinking snaps". Akvavit is often drunk quickly from a small shot glass. This is usually attributed to tradition ("drinking snaps"[2]). Akvavit arguably complements beer well, and its consumption is very often preceded, or followed, by a swig of beer. Purists generally lament this practice, claiming that the beer will ruin the flavour and aftertaste.

makes me wonder about the differences in tastes around the world...my wife won't eat mint or berries, didn't grow up with those flavors. I don't know whether to be thankfull for the tastes I've developed, or wonder at them. But I don't like Akvavit. hahaha

fuck i hate t-breaks, hurry up and figure out that shit that makes it go faster, lol

 

[Purple-Days]

Licorice is a strong flavor, I like how they say "arguably complements beer"...

Wikipedia, "Akvavit gets its distinctive flavor from spices and herbs, most often from caraway. It typically contains 40% alcohol by volume."

I've heard of it but never tasted.

I was on the Swiss - Italian border in 1971 and picked up a bottle of spirits, from a monestary (monks), to bring home to Dad. We kept it many years, I think it was opened in '81 (makes sense), wow , same sorta stuff, wicked. We would bring it out thereafter and suffer through a shot on special occasions . . .

 

[VWFringe]

Hahahaha

yeah, gotta finish it, even if it takes 15 years, hahaha, rofl

i feel for you, sorry, hope i'm laughing with you, not at you, but i'm not sure

EDIT: i gotta go get a beer, see if this tastes any better, i'm sure it will, or next t-break i will

 

[momofthegoons]

To us Danes, it is Mother's milk! There was a great article in the New York Times a few years back called, "Aqauvit, A Pour. A Stare down. A Civilized Bonding," that went into detail about the ritual of Aquavit. It's one of those drinks, much like Retsina wine, that you either love or hate. Turned my son's girlfriend onto it last Christmas. She now drinks it, "on the reg." We love it in my family.

Now....t-breaks are another story! Hate those!

Edited to add: found the article. If anyone is interested, it's here:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/10/2...ur. A Stare down. A Civilized Bonding&st=cse

 

[fidget]

Licorice is a strong flavor, I like how they say "arguably complements beer"...

Wikipedia, "Akvavit gets its distinctive flavor from spices and herbs, most often from caraway. It typically contains 40% alcohol by volume."

I've heard of it but never tasted.

I was on the Swiss - Italian border in 1971 and picked up a bottle of spirits, from a monestary (monks), to bring home to Dad. We kept it many years, I think it was opened in '81 (makes sense), wow , same sorta stuff, wicked. We would bring it out thereafter and suffer through a shot on special occasions . . .

Chartreuse maybe?
55% by volume and tastes absolutely rank.

 

[VWFringe]

....A Stare down. A Civilized Bonding," that went into detail about the ritual of Aquavit. Edited to add: found the article. If anyone is interested, it's here:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/10/2...ur. A Stare down. A Civilized Bonding&st=cse

I will remember the stare down, thats classic...

The basic ritual goes like this:

Pour into a frozen aquavit glass (a special shot glass with a stem so your fingers wont warm the contents). Lift glass toward mouth and pause. Stare into eyes of everyone else holding a glass. Say the obligatory Danish toast, Skaal. Drink to empty or not to empty; thats up to the individual. Look everyone in the eyes again. Set glass down.

Its that staring ... silently ... into the eyes ... of ... everyone ... that can be awkward for novices. For Danes, famed for their uncommunicative style, this might be the most intimate act most will perform their entire lives. And yet theyre likely to perform it several times a week, often with strangers and enemies.

During a recent dinner party, I found myself staring directly into the eyes of a miffed relative who had just announced her intense dislike of my wife and me. Not a flicker of hostility registered in the aquavit stare (though she did gulp down the whole glass).


FOR something so strong, aquavit has a strangely civilizing effect.

 

[Niflhel]

Akvavit supplements rye bread with curry herring quite well.

Now I'm hungry...

 

[momofthegoons]

or jannson's temptation......

But I even love it all by itself!

 

[VWFringe]

well, i've been missing out obviously,

drinking the last of the Linie (the one aged in oak) now

and i'm imagining i have all of you around me, as I raise my glass and stare briefly into each of your eyes, and then say, "Skaal," and take a swig...and then grimace from the taste (not used to this, but I'm on another t-break).

 

[momofthegoons]

Skaal VW! Although it's a little early for this, even for me!