45th Parallel, unusually for an American distillery, has several aquavits in their product lineup. Their Gamle Ode Celebration Aquavit starts from a slightly gin-like botanical foundation. Yes, it includes juniper, in addition to both traditional aquavit botanicals— caraway and dill— as well as some vanilla and citrus. Then, Gamle Ode Celebration Aquavit is aged in barrels that held their Border Bourbon.
Tasting notes
Color: Lemon chiffon in hue and transparent
Aroma: Vibrant lemon kissed fresh dill weed, with creamy vanilla and orange
Flavor: Dill early, but primarily dill seed. Citrus begins early, with an especially strong orange note. Carvone flavor becomes more pronounced mid-palate, suggesting both caraway and dill. But so does a vanilla note, which builds at the same time.
Sweet lemon comes on mid-to-late on the palate. The caraway and dill note becomes less intense, with a slight peppery spice hanging on the finish.
Finish: Short and mild intensity, with a lingering oily citrus note and crispy caraway. Mild warmth, and slight astringency.
Cocktails and suggested serves
If sipping traditionally, I recommend Gamle Ode Celebration Aquavit straight from the freezer. It enhances the lovely citrus and dill notes, while adding some texture that balances the warmth and short finish.
While Gamle Ode Celebration Aquavit is aged, the influence of the barrel is slight (vanilla is a botanical here), and it mixes in cocktails nicely.
Try the King of the North cocktail, which I borrowed from Svol Aquavit (which we previous reviewed). 1.75 oz of aquavit, .75 oz of fresh lemon juice and .5 oz of Orgeat and 3 dashes of Angostura bitters. Shake with ice, strain and serve. [Credit and Source] It’s a shame this one hasn’t caught on because I think this cocktail could be one that could help Aquavit earn a place on every back bar and cocktail program.
If you’re looking for something that you— as a gin drinker!— might have all the ingredients for… try a Negroni, but I prefer a slightly higher ratio of aquavit (try 1.5 oz. aquavit to .75 oz. Campari and Vermouth).
Overall, Gamle Ode Celebration Aquavit
Gamle Ode Celebration Aquavit is a modern, accessible aquavit that will appeal to fans of citrus forward gins. While the pairing of vanilla and dill seed is unusual, it mostly works. I’d love some more botanical length on the finish; however, overall it’s a solid aquavit that would be at home in a bar program, or in a freezer at home for holiday toasts.