Norwegian wine and spirits supplier Arcus has teamed up with master blender Ivan Abrahamsen to develop a “perfect aquavit” for use in cocktails.
Lysholm No52 is described as “a fresh and complex aquavit”, with a distinguished taste of citrus. It contains 11 different botanicals – including Norwegian caraway, star anise, coriander, bitter orange peels and ginger, which is not traditionally used in aquavit but gives the spirits a spiciness that is perfect when mixing cocktails.
Compared with other Norwegian aquavits, No52 is spicier and stronger in flavour as it has to pass through all the other ingredients in a cocktail, Arcus said.
The take on Norway’s national liquor can be paired with food or beer, and its versatility in cocktails has prompted an increase in its popularity among bartenders around the world. It is named after Jørgen B. Lysholm, one of the great Norwegian innovators in spirits, and was the 52nd in a series of recipes trialled by Arcus in the development of the product.
“This actually turns out to be the greatest innovation within Norwegian aquavit in recent time,” said master blender Ivan Abrahamsen. “Compared to the Norwegian cask matured aquavits, No52 does not have the round, sweet oak flavours and vanilla notes you get through cask ageing.”
He hopes the new product eventually will become a permanent resident in bars and homes around the world.
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