Quote:
Originally Posted by Janszoon
So then what is your general name for the class of liquors that is comprised of whiskey, whisky, scotch and bourbon from all the various countries they come from?
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I don't know of a written general name that covers them all. I would use the two names and write whiskies and whiskeys. For example if I made a thread that was supposed to be about bourbons as well as scotch, I would've called it "Whiskys & Whiskeys" or something similar.
Aquavit (Akevitt in Norway) is a scandinavian liquor sometimes made of grain but typically made from potatoes and flavoured with caraway seeds and sometimes other herbs. It has a rather unique flavour I think which I haven't come across anywhere else and aside from the flavourings I mentioned, I find the taste quite hard to describe.
Gammel Oppland is probably my favourite of our norwegian akevitts. It's matured in barrels so it's a brown liquor, though there are some clear akevitts out there as well.
You typically don't drink this on it's own. Usually, it's part of a rich meal around christmas times, often accompanied by a dark seasonal juleøl or yule-beer (christmas beer). Getting together for dinners and drinking is a tradition up here and with enough akevitt, it usually gets quite lively. People sing drinking songs and drink akevitt shots.
Aquavit is getting more and more recognition now outside Scandinavia which I personally think is great because it is awesome. However, it is always tied up with hearty meals like salty meat or fermented fish dishes with powerful flavours. If any of you ever come to visit during the later parts of the year, we'll get a bottle.