About Wizard Akvavit

Wizard Akvavit is one of the rarest and most unconventional American aquavits ever produced. Crafted by Bluewater Organic Distilling (Everett, Washington) in partnership with Captain Keith Colburn of the F/V Wizard from the TV series Deadliest Catch, it stands out as the only U.S. aquavit intentionally aged at sea under extreme Bering Sea winter conditions.

Expedition & Barrel Journey (2015–2016)

The idea emerged in 2015 when distiller John Lundin met Captain Colburn. Inspired by their shared connection to the sea, they revived the old Nordic tradition of sending aquavit barrels on ocean voyages to shape the spirit with motion and climate.

To prepare the cask for the expedition, Lundin personally designed and welded a steel cage to hold the barrel securely aboard the violently pitching vessel. The barrel was filled with Bluewater’s house recipe,
Nordsjön Akvavit, and strapped inside the cage.

Voyage route:

• Seattle → Dutch Harbor aboard the F/V Brenna A, transported by Captain Sean Dwyer.
• Dutch Harbor → Bering Sea aboard the F/V Wizard, which carried the cask throughout the winter crab-fishing season.

Throughout the harsh winter months, the barrel was thrashed and shaken in the Wizard’s forward cargo hold as the crew battled storms during the King Crab and Bairdi Crab seasons. With no precedent for aging spirits under such brutal conditions, the team did not know if the cask—or the spirit—would even survive.

Return & Release

In spring 2016, the F/V Wizard returned to Seattle with the barrel intact. Early tastings revealed that the spirit had developed a remarkably deep and complex character, influenced by ceaseless motion, temperature extremes, and
northern maritime air.

The official public release was scheduled for September 3, 2016. Later that month, bottles were formally presented to Captain Colburn and the Wizard crew at the Fishermen’s Fall Festival on September 24, 2016 at Fishermen’s Terminal.

Edition Details & Packaging

• Approx. 250 cask-strength bottles yielded from the expedition barrel
• Each bottle and-numbered and signed by John Lundin and Captain Colburn
• Presented in a collector’s display with:
  • American-made glass
  • Decorative steel surround
  • Solid oak base
  • Ship’s rope detailing

The release was priced at approximately $225 per bottle, reflecting its rarity, extreme aging conditions, and elaborate collector’s packaging.

A portion of the proceeds supported the Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial Fund, which provides safety education and scholarships for families of fishermen lost at sea.