Brennivín Special Cask Selection 2015 Aquavit
Reykjavík, Höfuðborgarsvæði, Iceland
- ABV
- 40%
- Base spirit
- Unknown
- Color
- Gold
- Style
- Barrel-Aged Aquavit
- Maturation
- 6 months in Ex-Oloroso cask + 6 months in Ex-Bourbon cask
Brennivín Special Cask Selection 2015 is a limited-edition barrel-aged Icelandic aquavit based on the classic caraway-led Brennivín. The 2015 release was matured for six months in Oloroso sherry casks and a further six months in used bourbon barrels, giving it a total documented maturation period of about 12 months. It was bottled at 40% ABV.
The release was produced in a very limited run of 3,000 bottles worldwide. Contemporary export reporting states that 1,200 bottles were allocated to the United States, where the release appeared in a 750 ml format. The bottle shown here is a 700 ml Icelandic-format bottling, labeled “Special Cask Selection 2015 Release” and “Sherry & Bourbon Cask Aquavit.”
The spirit retained Brennivín’s traditional caraway profile but gained additional character from the two cask types. Wine Enthusiast described the 2015 Special Cask Selection as a limited “winter aquavit” finished in former Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, with notes of vanilla, pear, banana, rye bread, baking spice and subtle smoke. Those are tasting notes rather than additional botanicals.
This release formed part of Brennivín’s seasonal barrel-aged line, which changed from year to year. Later Special Cask Selection releases used different maturation regimes, so the 2015 specification should not be generalized to every vintage.
Bottle gallery
About the producer
Kveldúlfur Distillery
Reykjavík, Höfuðborgarsvæði, Iceland
Kveldúlfur Distillery is the current producer of Brennivín and operates within the Ölgerðin Egill Skallagrímsson group. Vínbúðin identifies Kveldúlfur Distillery as the producer of the standard 40% Brennivín, while Ölgerðin is listed separately as supplier and owns the Brennivín brand.
Kveldúlfur Distillery is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ölgerðin. Ölgerðin’s financial statements list Kveldúlfur Distillery ehf. among the companies owned 100% by the group, alongside Borg Brugghús and several other beverage businesses.
The wider Ölgerðin business was founded in Reykjavík in 1913 by Tómas Tómasson and developed from a small brewery into Iceland’s largest producer of alcoholic beverages. Today the group owns a number of major Icelandic drinks brands, including Brennivín, Gull and Boli, while Kveldúlfur functions as the distilling entity associated with Brennivín production.
The relationship between Brennivín and Ölgerðin is therefore more recent than the spirit itself. Brennivín originated as a state-produced spirit in 1935; after ÁTVR ended alcohol production in 1992, production moved into private hands. The current structure places production with Kveldúlfur Distillery and brand ownership and distribution with Ölgerðin.
Ölgerðin also manages Brennivín as an international brand. Company filings state that the Brennivín word and figurative marks are registered in the European Union and the United Kingdom, while the Brennivín word mark is also registered in Canada.
