Aptekarsky Aquavit
Steige, Grand Est, France
- ABV
- 45%
- Base spirit
- Grain (unspecified)
- Color
- Clear
- Style
- Unaged Aquavit
Aptekarsky Aquavit is a French aquavit produced by Distillerie Nusbaumer in Steige, Alsace. It was introduced in 2019 alongside Jos’Berri Gin as part of the distillery’s new range of botanical spirits. Nusbaumer presented Aptekarsky at its launch as the first French aquavit. It is bottled at 45% ABV and sold in a 500 ml bottle.
The production is based on caraway seeds together with other spices, which are macerated in neutral alcohol for three weeks before distillation. The spirit is then reduced to bottling strength with spring water from Steige, naturally filtered through the schist of the Vosges Mountains, and finally cold-filtered. Aptekarsky is unaged and clear. Nusbaumer describes caraway as the central botanical and combines it with botanicals associated with the Vosges; its tasting notes also identify anise, dill, fennel, coriander and rhubarb.
The name refers to Aptekarsky Island in Saint Petersburg, whose name translates as “Apothecary Island.” The island has been associated with medicinal plants since Peter the Great established an Apothecary Garden there in 1714; the site later developed into the city’s botanical garden. Nusbaumer chose the reference to connect the aquavit with this botanical and apothecary history.
Bottle gallery
About the producer
Distillerie Nusbaumer
Steige, Grand Est, France
Distillerie Nusbaumer was founded in 1947 by Joseph “Jos” Nusbaumer in Steige, a village in the Vallée de Villé in Alsace, at the foot of the Vosges Mountains. Steige is part of the modern administrative region of Grand Est, while Alsace remains the historical and cultural region most closely associated with the distillery. From the beginning, Nusbaumer specialised in fruit eaux-de-vie and liqueurs, working with regional fruits, berries, herbs and other botanicals. The distillery is located at more than 400 metres above sea level and uses spring water originating from the Climont massif, naturally filtered through the local geological formations.
Over the following decades, Nusbaumer built its reputation around traditional Alsatian distillation, producing eaux-de-vie from fruits such as mirabelle plum, raspberry, pear and kirsch, as well as a broad range of fruit and herbal liqueurs. In 1996, Joseph Nusbaumer transferred the business to his daughter Marianne Willm, continuing the family ownership of the distillery for another two decades.
In April 2018, Distillerie Nusbaumer was acquired by Nicolas Lombard, who had previously worked in the wine and spirits industry, including at La Maison du Whisky. While retaining the distillery’s established production of eaux-de-vie and liqueurs, Lombard began expanding the range into other spirit categories. In 2019, Nusbaumer introduced Jos’Berri Gin and Aptekarsky Aquavit, adding botanical spirits to a portfolio that had traditionally been centred on Alsatian fruit distillation.
The distillery continues to produce in Steige using small-batch methods and maintains a strong connection with the plants, fruits and water of the Vosges region. In 2019, Distillerie Nusbaumer received the French Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) label, a state distinction awarded to companies recognised for distinctive artisanal and industrial know-how. The label was renewed in 2025.