Guided by centuries of history and an uncompromising hands-on approach, we’ve enlivening the traditional framework of Aquavit with carefully selected botanicals from our own backyard and around the world.
The Spirit of Aquavit is a celebrated symbol of Nordic hospitality and tradition that dates back centuries. Inspired by our heritage, pioneer old-world makers, and the abundant natural beauty that surrounds us in the Great Lakes State of Michigan, our goal is to share the rich history of the category while challenging perceptions of where and how it can be made while remaining authentic.
WHAT’S IN
A NAME?
Chosen as not only as a symbol of our sense of place, “NORDEN” subtly pays homage to the birthplace of Aquavit in a way that’s simple to communicate. While the north here in Michigan may vary from that of our ancestors, the spirit of discovery and determination remains the same.
Early exploration of regional expressions throughout Scandinavia, The United States, and beyond was critical in order to gain a deeper connection to Aquavit than any book or folklore could provide. During our journey we began to assemble new ideas of what we could bring to the category and soon a desire to bring those ideas to life was born.
Never content with simple American-Made replicas, today we craft classically inspired Aquavit enhanced by unique blends of botanicals from our own backyard and around the world for the quintessentially modern experience. While creating spirits with balance and complexity is our goal for cocktail mixing, every batch must be exceptional on its own first. To that end we remain firmly anchored in and informed by tradition of Aquavit as a sipping spirit above all else.
A departure from the industrial mainstream, our processes harken back to the hands-on methods of small-batch botanical spirits pioneers. Honest and accountable, everything we produce is a resounding call to a time when quality was achieved through innovation, attention to detail, and a life-long dedication to one’s craft.
It took years of researching, traveling, sampling, blending, mixing, drinking, and talking until the sun came up before our vision was realized. Countless experimentations with botanical combinations during arduous trial runs eventually landed 10 defining botanicals into our Original Taffel Style recipe. From there we honed the details of our distillation techniques and set standards we could reproduce for generations to come. What we share today is a culmination of these efforts.
ORIGINAL TAFFEL STYLE
750 ML | ALC. BY VOL. 45% | 90 PROOF
Our flagship expression pushes boundaries within the Aquavit category by embracing both Caraway and Dill in addition to Clementine, Coriander, Angelica, Orris, Juniper, Clary Sage, Staghorn Sumac, and Anise, for a rounded 10 botanicals that create much more than the sum of their parts. Well suited in most clear spirit cocktail applications. Swap-in and play with classic recipes, then build from there! Awarded Double Gold + Best Aquavit at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
AMERICAN OAK RESERVE
750 ML | ALC. BY VOL. 53.5% | 107 PROOF
The same botanical bill, 100% organic base spirit, and distillation process as our flagship Taffel Style with a minimum of 12 months spent in previously used American oak casks*. No additives, coloring, or chill-filtration needed or welcomed—this is aged aquavit in its most honest form and a rare offering within the category, especially given its cask strength proof.
LIMITED EDITION
”PINK AQUAVIT”
750 ML | ALC. BY VOL. 38% | 76 PROOF
Crafted in the Scandinavian “snaps” tradition known as kryddersnaps or “spice-schnapps”, we gathered fresh strawberries and zesty rhubarb directly from Michigan farms and soaked them in our Award-winning “original taffel-style” Aquavit for 45 days to preserve the peak flavor of Summer. Just before bottling the spirit was finished with hibiscus flowers and a meticulous vapor-distillation of Damask rose petals for a vibrant hue and delicate balance. Bottled at 38% alcohol by volume, Distiller Robyn Cleveland says, “The resulting spirit bursts with fresh strawberry on the nose, citrus fruit and caraway spice throughout, and plays up the floral notes of the original for an entirely new experience, but one that is quintessentially “NORDEN”. It really captures the essence of Michigan Summer at its peak and preserves the feeling as we roll into fall”.
