Schlei Aquavit is a small-batch regional aquavit created by Thomas Köhler in Borgwedel (Schleswig-Holstein). First released in 2010, it represents the tradition of the Ostsee-Fjord Schlei region and follows a classic northern style with caraway and a light touch of dill. The bottling is handled by Onyx Vertrieb (Borgwedel), a company active in contract bottling and distribution rather than distillation. As a result, Schlei Aquavit should be viewed as a niche, privately developed spirit with limited local availability rather than a widely distributed commercial product.
Bottle gallery
About the producer
Onyx Vertrieb
Borgwedel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
The creator behind Schlei Aquavit is Thomas Köhler, an independent beverage developer based in Borgwedel, Schleswig-Holstein, near the Schlei inlet. Köhler has worked in the alcohol trade for more than a decade, initially specializing in imported spirits before shifting toward creating his own products. Schlei Aquavit was the first of these projects and marked his entry into developing regional, small-scale spirits.
Köhler is not a distillery operator in the traditional sense. He develops recipes, branding, and concepts, while the actual bottling is handled by Onyx Vertrieb, a Borgwedel-based company active in wholesale and contract bottling of alcoholic beverages. The underlying distillery responsible for producing the spirit is not publicly documented. As a result, Köhler’s products fall into the category of private-label, contract-produced spirits with a strong local identity and limited distribution.