Brennivín 80th Anniversary Edition Aquavit
Reykjavík, Höfuðborgarsvæði, Iceland
- ABV
- 40%
- Base spirit
- Grain (unspecified)
- Color
- Unknown
- Style
- Barrel-Aged Aquavit
- Maturation
- 1 year in New american oak cask + Ex-Bourbon cask + Ex-Scotch Whisky cask
Brennivín 80th Anniversary Edition is a limited barrel-aged Icelandic aquavit released in 2015 to mark 80 years since Brennivín was introduced in 1935. The expression was aged for one year in sequence through new American oak, ex-bourbon and ex-Islay Scotch whisky casks, creating a more heavily cask-influenced version of the classic caraway-led spirit. A 2019 U.S. trademark filing for Brennivín explicitly describes the 80th Anniversary Edition as aged for one year in that three-stage sequence.
The bottle is labeled Anniversary Edition / Afmælisútgáfa 1935–2015 and is bottled at 40% ABV. The U.S. release was sold in 750 ml bottles, while period retail and export listings also referred to the expression as Brennivín 80th Anniversary Cask Selection Aquavit.
The maturation regime combined three distinct cask influences: new American oak, barrels previously used for bourbon, and barrels previously used for Islay Scotch whisky. Independent tasting coverage described the finished spirit as pale straw, with light vanilla, toasted oak, pear, honey and spice notes; these are tasting descriptors rather than additional botanicals.
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.
