Hamburg Zanzibar Nordic Aged Aquavit
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- ABV
- 40%
- Base spirit
- Unknown
- Color
- Gold
- Style
- Barrel-Aged Aquavit
Hamburg-Zanzibar Nordic Aged Aquavit is a German aged aquavit produced in Hamburg’s Alstertal and bottled at 40% vol. in a 500 ml format. Its botanical profile centres on caraway, fennel and anise, with a touch of lemon. Contemporary descriptions specify a gentle, low-temperature distillation intended to preserve the spice aromas.
What distinguishes it from Hamburg-Zanzibar’s clear Hanseatic Aquavit is its maturation. After distillation, the aquavit was transferred to stainless-steel tanks, where it rested in contact with roasted oak wood rather than maturing in a conventional oak barrel. This treatment gave it a light amber colour and added roasted, woody notes to its caraway, fennel and anise profile. The expression was also marketed with the designation “Heavy Roasted Oak.”
In 2022, the expression was entered at the World Drinks Awards as Hamburg-Zanzibar Aged Aquavit and received a Silver award. Hamburg-Zanzibar described the matured aquavit at the time as combining a touch of citrus with roasted-oak and anise aromas.
About the producer
Hamburg-Zanzibar
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Hamburg-Zanzibar is a small independent distillery located in northern Hamburg. The project began in 2017, when its founders started experimenting with distillation at home. In 2020, production moved into a converted barn in the Alstertal area, which now serves as the site for maceration, distillation and bottling. All spirits are made in small batches.
The name Hamburg-Zanzibar reflects the brand’s concept: a connection between its Hamburg origin and the use of spices associated with Zanzibar. This approach influences the selection of botanicals, primarily in their gin, but also in the aquavit range.
The distillery produces gin, vodka, aquavit and several experimental micro-batch spirits. The aquavit line includes two main expressions. Hanseatic Aquavit is based on a traditional combination of caraway, anise and fennel. Aged Aquavit undergoes maturation with oak, which adds a distinct wood character and a denser aromatic profile.
Both aquavits received awards at the World Drinks Awards in 2022: Hanseatic Aquavit was awarded gold, and Aged Aquavit received silver. At that time, Hamburg-Zanzibar was the only German producer of aquavit to be recognized at this competition.
Production remains entirely craft-based. Batch sizes are small, and all stages -from maceration to filtration – are managed manually. There is no automated line, and the focus is on consistency of recipes rather than volume.
Hamburg-Zanzibar illustrates how a modern small-scale German distillery can work with the aquavit category outside its traditional regions, maintaining classic foundations while applying its own approach to distillation and maturation.
