Skogen Aquavit Spruce
Seattle, Washington, United States
- ABV
- 40%
- Base spirit
- Unknown
- Color
- Unknown
- Style
- Unaged Aquavit
Skogen Aquavit Spruce was a seasonal aquavit produced by Old Ballard Liquor Co. in Seattle, Washington. It was flavored with freshly harvested Sitka spruce tips gathered locally in Ballard and was released as a limited seasonal expression, appearing in the distillery’s range around the beginning of summer. Contemporary coverage in 2015 described Skogen as arriving in June, while Seattle Magazine noted that the spruce tips were locally picked from a tree in Ballard.
The spruce tips gave Skogen a pronounced fresh evergreen character, while caraway provided the aquavit base. Contemporary descriptions emphasized a fresh pine aroma with a slight fruitiness, and Old Ballard’s broader production method suggests that seasonal botanicals could be introduced after the initial caraway distillation. Skogen was bottled at 40% ABV in 375 ml bottles and was produced only in limited quantities.
Production ended with Old Ballard Liquor Co.’s 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.
