Silver Circle Aquavit
Penallt, Wales, United Kingdom
- ABV
- 40%
- Base spirit
- Unknown
- Color
- Unknown
- Style
- Unaged Aquavit
Silver Circle Aquavit is a Welsh aquavit produced by Silver Circle Distillery in Monmouthshire. It was launched in January 2022 after several months of recipe development and was described at the time as the first commercially produced aquavit from Wales. The spirit is bottled at 40% ABV in 700 ml bottles.
The recipe combines caraway, fennel, raspberry, lemon and rye. Caraway provides the central aquavit character, while the other ingredients give the recipe a distinctly modern profile. Aquavit had been part of the distillery’s plans from the beginning: co-founder Nina Howden has Swedish heritage and said that the spirit’s place in Scandinavian food and drinking culture was one of the reasons they wanted to make their own version.
Only a few months after its release, Silver Circle Aquavit received a Silver medal and 91 points at the 2022 International Wine & Spirit Competition. It also received Silver at the 2022 London Spirits Competition, scoring 80 points.
Later in 2022, Silver Circle joined Psychopomp Microdistillery and Orkney Gin Company in the British Aquavit project. The collaboration brought together the first aquavit producers from Wales, England and Scotland and included a tasting set containing all three spirits.
Silver Circle Aquavit remains part of the distillery’s core range. It is also used in the producer’s own cocktails, including Cosmonaut, which combines the aquavit with berry, apricot and prickly pear flavours.
About the producer
Silver Circle Distillery
Penallt, Wales, United Kingdom
Silver Circle Distillery was founded by Nina and Joe Howden in June 2019 in Catbrook, Monmouthshire, in the Wye Valley. The distillery began with small-batch spirits drawing on ingredients and flavours associated with the surrounding area, with Nina Howden taking the role of co-founder and head distiller.
The range developed beyond gin to include Silver Circle Aquavit, Black Garlic Vodka and a series of bottled and canned cocktails. The aquavit also reflects Nina Howden’s Swedish background and became the first Welsh contribution to the British Aquavit collaboration with producers in England and Scotland.
In 2024 Silver Circle moved from Catbrook to Upper Meend Farm in Penallt, near Monmouth, part of the Humble by Nature farm. The new site brought the distillery, shop, bar and visitor experiences together in a larger space and provided room for events and further production.