Niewarker Aquavit
Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Niewarker Aquavit was a German aquavit produced by Waldemar Behn in Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein. The aquavit was made from wheat distillate and matured in wood; period bottle text describes several months of ageing in old beechwood casks, which gave the spirit its natural amber colour. It was also described as having an aromatic herbal seasoning and was recommended to be served well chilled.
Several versions of Niewarker are known. One label bears the name “Niewarker Jubiläums-Aquavit” and was bottled at 41% ABV. Other 41% versions use the name “Niewarker Aquavit” with a sailing ship emblem marked “Jubiläums-Marke” or “Traditions-Marke”. Another version features a green label with the designation “Exclusiv-Marke” and was bottled at 35% ABV. The sailing ship and lifebuoy remained characteristic elements of the brand’s maritime design.
Niewarker was also available in a distinctive “Tau-Flasche”, a presentation bottle wrapped in five metres of genuine Manila rope. The exact production period of Niewarker Aquavit is not documented, but surviving bottles represent several generations of packaging from the second half of the 20th century.
Bottle gallery
About the producer
Waldemar Behn GmbH
Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Waldemar Behn GmbH is a family-owned German spirits producer based in Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein. The company was founded in 1892 by Waldemar Behn and remains under the ownership of the Behn family.
Originally established as a beverage business, Behn developed over the following decades into a spirits producer with a portfolio of its own brands. The company has maintained a strong connection to northern Germany, with several of its products drawing on regional traditions and identity.
Its portfolio includes well-known spirits brands such as Kleiner Feigling, Küstennebel, DANZKA Vodka, Dooley’s Original Toffee Cream and Andalö, alongside various liqueurs, schnapps and other spirits. Aquavit also forms part of Behn’s spirits portfolio, with products including Gosch Sylt Aquavit and Ebbe & Flut der klare Aquavit.
Today, Waldemar Behn GmbH continues to operate from Eckernförde and is one of Germany’s established independent family-owned spirits companies.
