Everything Else

Each nation around the Baltic Sea has its own prevailing brand–the Danes have Aalborg and the Swedes have O.P.–but my favorite (again, thank the wife for this one) is the Norwegian Linie. Aquavit from Norway tends to have even stronger flavors and a slightly darker color than its neighbors, thanks to a year or more of aging in oak casks, like whiskey. Linie takes that tradition even further, though: the name is Norwegian for “equator,” because to this day, each barrel is shipped around the world, from Norway to Australia and back, crossing the equator twice during the journey. They claim that the rocking in the boat, the ocean air, and the changes in temperature and humidity all go toward making it taste better, and it’s hard to argue with the results.