Aquavit - Water of Life

Early 1996, in the very first issue of Brännvins - News, I wrote as follows:

Swedish spiced aquavit can no longer be obtained in the US. At present (January 1996) there is no company importing these vital liquors. In a conversation with the export manager at Vin & Sprit Aktiebolaget in Sweden I was told that negotiations are under way with 4-5 companies in USA.

My humble inquiries about importing smaller quantities (through a company in Philadelphia with an export/import license) in order to keep the Swedish colony alive and well, were met with some hesitation on the phone, followed by a promise to come back to me with a decision. Nothing yet.

The weekly Nordstjernan stated in an article "Dinner in the Land of the Midnight Sun" [February 8, 1996] that Herrgårds, Skåne and OP ... will soon be available on a limited basis all over the United States. Vin & Sprit ... will in a first move target the large Scandinavian-ethnic markets.

Soon ? ... and is South Philadelphia a "large Scandinavian-ethnic market"?

[It used to be back in 1641 with Governor Printz and his colonists - but today?]

To be on the safe side I made other arrangements to secure the "fuel" supply.

I started to import spices & herbs (mixed according to old Swedish traditions) to be used with inexpensive domestic vodka - or the imported Absolut - and - at a considerably lower price than the imported, bottled variety - still give that strong feeling of Swedish home crafted spiced aquavit.

And that decision to start importing was very wise because as of today [March 2003] you still cannot buy any of these promised imports in Philadelphia or in Pennsylvania. And in states where you can buy them, there are still only the three mentioned above versus the 15-20 I normally have in stock.

And now I'm adding "Punschextrakt", (non-alcoholic but mixes well with Vodka) in packaging for Party size crowds, and finally, the Kristian Regale Fruit Sparklers.

Name	Major ingredients - if you hesitate to drink it, maybe just enjoy the way it looks?	In Stock 3/3/2003 In the near future we hope to be able to refer you to a new supplier for the spices/herbs.
Arrakspunsch for my Swedish friends.	Punschextrakt to be mixed with equal parts Vodka 6 bottles x 35 centiliters [anything less wouldn't last long enough.]	Buy now $30.00 S/H incl. within continental USA
<MAP NAME="boxmap-p6"><AREA SHAPE="RECT" COORDS="1, 140, 83, 150" HREF="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" ><AREA COORDS="0,0,10000,10000" HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/swedishresources" ></MAP><img src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/120x150.gif" width="120" height="150" border="0" usemap="#boxmap-p6" alt="Shop at Amazon.com">	Kristian Regale Fruit Sparklers - an assortment. Apple, Lingonberry Apple and Pear.
Bestefarsdram	St. John's wort, elderflower etc	No
Citronvodka	Lemon peel & concentrate	No
Fläder-Pomerans	Elder, Seville orange etc.	No
Gammel Dansk	Wormwood, pepper, almond, liquorice etc.	No
Gutetår	Juniper berries, fennel etc.	No
Hallands Fläder	Elderflower, juniper berries etc.	No
Johannesört	Chopped St. John's wort	No
Jägarblandning	Juniper berries, herbs, Seville oranges, Caraway etc	No
Klosterblandning	Star Anise, St. John's wort, juniper berries etc.	No
Kronobergare	Angelica root, caraway, juniper berries etc.	No
Lakrits	Chopped liquorice root ["Norrköping"]	No
Malört	Chopped wormwood	No
Norrland	Aniseed, caraway, coriander, fennel, Seville orange etc.	No
Oskar II's Buffetsnaps	Cinnamon, coriander, Seville orange etc.	No
Skåne-Aquavite	Caraway etc.	No
Rånäs	Seville Orange, coriander, fennel, aniseed etc.	No
Stjärnanis	Minced star anise [similar to Pernod, Anisette]	No
Vodka Currant	Vodka flavored Cheese	No
Årstafrun	Seville Orange, saffron etc.	No
Ödåkra	Caraway, star anise, coriander etc.	No

There are, I've been told, other ways to use herbs although a true Swede would hesitate before actually eating them [unless - of course - we are talking dill.]