Midsommar Aquavit Dill
Seattle, Washington, United States
- ABV
- 40%
- Base spirit
- Unknown
- Color
- Unknown
- Style
- Unaged Aquavit
Midsommar Dill Aquavit was a Danish-style aquavit produced by Old Ballard Liquor Co. in Seattle, Washington. Introduced by 2014, it became one of the distillery’s three principal aquavits, alongside the Norwegian-style Riktig and Swedish-style Älskar.
The recipe placed particular emphasis on dill, using fresh dill fronds, dill seed and dill pollen alongside caraway, fresh lemon and vanilla bean. Old Ballard described the resulting spirit as having a fragrant aroma and a combination of herbal, savory and pickle-like notes. Contemporary coverage also highlighted its layered dill character, ranging from floral to savory, with caraway providing an additional spice element.
Midsommar was bottled at 40% ABV and was developed for serving chilled with Scandinavian-style seafood dishes. The distillery specifically recommended crayfish, salmon and crab, while its owner also suggested serving the aquavit frozen with salmon or crayfish. Midsommar remained part of Old Ballard’s core range before the company discontinued distilling operations in 2018.
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.
