Älskar Aquavit Citron
Seattle, Washington, United States
- ABV
- 40%
- Base spirit
- Unknown
- Color
- Unknown
- Style
- Unaged Aquavit
Älskar Aquavit Citron was a citrus-forward aquavit produced by Old Ballard Liquor Co. in Seattle, Washington. It belonged to the distillery’s core range and was presented as its Swedish-style expression, alongside the Norwegian-style Riktig and Danish-style Midsommar aquavits.
The recipe combined caraway with fresh lemon peel, coriander, grains of paradise, allspice, juniper and ginger. Old Ballard described Älskar as a fruity aquavit with complex lemon and spice notes and specifically recommended it as a pairing for oysters. Contemporary accounts likewise describe the spirit as citrus-dominant and slightly sweet.
Älskar was bottled at 40% ABV. Like the rest of Old Ballard Liquor Co.’s range, it disappeared after the company ended distilling operations in 2018 and subsequently closed in 2019.
About the producer
Old Ballard Liquor Co.
Seattle, Washington, United States
Old Ballard Liquor Co. was a small distillery established in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, an area with longstanding Scandinavian cultural ties. The company opened in the summer of 2013 under its owner and distiller, known publicly as Lexi, and made aquavit the central part of its spirits program.
Rather than producing a single house aquavit, Old Ballard developed a broad range inspired by different Scandinavian styles and seasonal ingredients. Its principal expressions included the Norwegian-style Riktig, the citrus-led Älskar, and the dill-focused Midsommar, alongside limited releases such as spruce-tip, licorice, holiday-spice and cask-strength aquavits. The distillery’s production approach commonly began with a clear distilled aquavit base and, depending on the expression, could include further botanical infusion or wood treatment.
In 2016, the distillery expanded its Ballard premises with a Scandinavian café. Two years later, Old Ballard discontinued distilling and shifted the site toward a Nordic restaurant and bar concept. The business ultimately closed in February 2019, ending a roughly six-year period in which aquavit had been its defining product category.
