Scandinavian (Norwegian) vodka, or aquavit, among my recipes is the simplest. No need to cook anything, make any syrups, etc. The only downside is the long wait.
Of course, if you have ever made wine yourself, then you will have no problem waiting until the aquavit “settles down” and becomes pleasant. But for me personally, it was a very strange experience.
What comes to your mind when you mention “Scandinavian vodka”? To me personally, a formidable Viking drinking a scalding drink and a huge goblet.
As you already understood, I have not heard anything about this drink. Perhaps that is why I was interested in this recipe of my subscriber Oksana V. I will be happy to share it with you.
Why do I cook alcohol
I occasionally prepare different alcohol. Tried to brew beer, make wine. But mostly I prefer tinctures. Alcoholic liqueurs on vodka are prepared quite quickly. And it’s almost impossible to mess something up.
Reference! It is also easier to adjust the strength of tinctures. So if you don’t have an alcoholmeter, just buy vodka and use it as the main ingredient. The finished drink will turn out to be less strong, but 100% will not be dangerous.
Scandinavian vodka, like most of my recipes, I found by accident. Now I don’t even remember if I remembered the name correctly.
I decided to try to cook it just for the sake of interest and only once. But I think I will definitely do it again. Hope some of you enjoy this easy recipe.
Ingredients for Norwegian Vodka
I live in a big city, so buying almost any ingredient is not a problem for me.
To make Norwegian vodka, I had to go to the market where they sell dried herbs. If where you live, it is not possible to buy all the ingredients, then you can order everything in online stores.
For Norwegian vodka you will need:
- 1 tablespoon chopped oak bark;
- 2 teaspoons of cumin;
- 2 teaspoons fennel;
- 2 teaspoons of anise;
- 1 tablespoon of St. John’s wort;
- 1 tablespoon of cardamom;
- 1 tablespoon juniper berries;
- 1 tablespoon of sugar.
For all these ingredients, 0,5 liters of vodka is enough.
The cooking process
I just poured all the ingredients with vodka and left it to infuse for 2-3 weeks. Later I learned that for the flavor it is proposed to pre-heat cardamom, anise and fennel in a pan. But I don’t think it would have much effect on the taste.
Every day you have to shake the mixture, but the sugar still does not dissolve very well and tries to precipitate. After 2-3 weeks, the drink is filtered. It is enough to pass it through gauze folded in several layers and bottle it.
At this stage, you can add a sprig of mint to each bottle. This will give the drink softness and a refreshing taste. But this is an amateur. If you are preparing a tincture for the first time, then make two bottles – one with mint, and the second without. And next time you will know exactly how you liked it.
What’s up
Due to the oak bark, the drink turns out to be very dark, more like cognac. But it seems that this ingredient is missing in the original recipe, so the drink turns out to be lighter.
I do not recommend trying Scandinavian vodka immediately after filtering. She is like bitter medicine. This was one of the reasons for the disappointment with the recipe. The second time the sample was taken only six months later. And… the taste has changed a lot.
The bitterness has gone, the aroma has become softer. Scandinavian vodka has ceased to resemble medicine and was even liked by some of my friends who love strong alcoholic drinks.
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Take care of yourself!
Maybe someone prepared a similar Scandinavian vodka? Do you agree with what innovations I have made or stick to the classic recipe?