ISCO Aquavit
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
- ABV
- 42%
- Base spirit
- Rye, Corn
- Color
- Clear
- Style
- Unaged Aquavit
ISCO Aquavit (also known as ISCO’s Dill Aquavit / Fresh Dill Aquavit) is a caraway-focused Scandinavian-style spirit produced using a base of organic corn and a small portion of malted rye. Its botanical profile combines caraway seed, fresh dill, and heavily seeded rye bread that is custom-baked for the distillery by a local family-run bakery.
The production process begins with fermenting the grain mash, followed by an initial distillation. For the second distillation, the spirit is combined with caraway seed and several loaves of dense, heavily seeded rye bread to build additional flavor. After distillation, the spirit is infused with fresh locally sourced dill. The final bottling strength is 42% ABV, and it is released in 750 ml bottles.
Aromas include earthy cumin and warm rye, followed by subtle candied lemon and caraway. On the palate, fresh dill becomes prominent and lingers in the finish.
The aquavit can be enjoyed neat, or used in cocktails such as a hot cider, a Collins variation in place of gin, a Mule in place of vodka, or a briny pickle martini.
In 2024, ISCO Aquavit was awarded a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
About the producer
ISCO Spirits
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
ISCO Spirits, formally The Industrious Spirit Company, operates in Providence, Rhode Island, where it opened its distillery in 2020. The company was co-founded by Manya Rubinstein, Dan Neff, Doug Randall and John Curtin. Its Providence facility occupies part of a former industrial mill complex associated historically with Providence Steel and Iron Company.
ISCO produces its spirits on site, carrying out mashing, fermentation, distillation, bottling and packaging at the Providence facility. The company has emphasized organic and regeneratively farmed grains and has developed a broad range including vodka, gin, bourbon, aquavit and experimental specialty spirits.
Aquavit forms both a regular and experimental part of the range. ISCO’s standard Fresh Dill Aquavit is a caraway-forward spirit made with dill, while limited releases have extended the category into unconventional recipes such as Everything Bagel Aquavit and Banana Bread Aquavit. The latter retains caraway as its defining aquavit botanical but combines it with a corn-based spirit, actual banana bread and roasted bananas.
