Deep Cove Barrel Aged Akvavit
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Deep Cove Barrel Aged Akvavit was a limited-release akvavit made by Deep Cove Brewers & Distillers in North Vancouver, British Columbia. BC Spirits described it as a product released only every few years, in small quantities that usually did not reach liquor stores.
The botanical recipe varied between documented releases. A 2016 Deep Cove description lists caraway, anise and fennel, while its 2019 description gives caraway seed, lemongrass, fennel and chamomile.
The later version was bottled at 42% ABV (84 proof) and spent one year in a charred American oak barrel. Deep Cove described it as deep gold, with mellow oak sweetness and a rounded profile in which the botanicals were complemented by the wood. BC Spirits found a deep copper colour with golden edges, tropical fruit and caraway on the nose, followed by rich but non-woody oak, banana, tropical fruit, dill and caraway. The finish was marked by toasted oak, tropical fruit and herbal notes.
A 2016 tasting by The Alchemist found herbs and spices with liquorice on the nose, prominent fennel and caraway, floral notes and a warming spice finish.
Deep Cove also featured the akvavit in cocktails, including an Akvavit Old Fashioned with maple syrup and lemon peel and the Wolf Hound with ruby grapefruit juice and honey syrup.
Deep Cove Barrel Aged Akvavit was therefore an occasional Canadian akvavit release rather than a continuously available product. Historical descriptions indicate differences between releases, particularly in the listed botanicals. The later documented release was bottled at 42% ABV and matured for one year in charred American oak.
Bottle gallery
About the producer
Deep Cove Distillers
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Deep Cove Brewers & Distillers was a craft brewery and distillery based in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 2012, the company operated from #170–2270 Dollarton Highway, producing craft beer as well as small-batch spirits including vodka, gin and seasonal releases.
The distillery became particularly interesting for its experimental and limited spirits. Its range included Deep Cove Vodka, Rosemary & Olive Gin and Barrel Aged Akvavit, among other small-batch releases. The latter was produced only in limited quantities and became one of the distillery’s more distinctive products.
After roughly a decade at the Dollarton Highway location, Deep Cove announced in May 2023 that it could not renew its lease because of complications with the building. At the time, the company said it was actively looking for a new location and intended to continue brewing and distilling.
That relocation apparently never materialized. Current sources list Deep Cove Brewers & Distillers as permanently closed and no longer in business, with the original North Vancouver operation having ceased around the summer of 2023.
Deep Cove therefore belongs to the now-closed generation of small North Shore producers whose spirits survive mainly through old releases and archived records. Its Barrel Aged Akvavit is one of the more unusual examples of that history.
