Nordic Summer
Aquavit, cucumber, and elderflower — aquavit distilled in Scandinavia since the 15th century, global recognition driven by New Nordic cuisine in the early 2000s.
- 1½ ozaquavit
- ½ ozelderflower liqueur
- ½ ozfresh lime juice
- 4 ozclub soda
- cucumber ribbon, dillgarnish
- 1Add aquavit, elderflower liqueur, and lime juice to a Collins glass.
- 2Fill with ice and top with club soda.
- 3Stir gently to combine.
- 4Garnish with a cucumber ribbon and fresh dill.
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Nordic Summer celebrates the character of Scandinavian summers — short, brilliant, and intensely alive — through the lens of aquavit, the region's signature spirit produced in Scandinavia since the 15th century. Modern bartenders began creating seasonal aquavit cocktails as the spirit gained global recognition in the early 2000s, partly driven by the international success of New Nordic cuisine and Scandinavian design. Nordic Summer typically combines aquavit with fresh cucumber, elderflower, or light citrus to evoke the clean, luminous quality of midsummer above the 60th parallel — a season of almost perpetual daylight that holds special cultural significance across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The drink reflects a broader trend of spirit-forward cocktails designed to showcase the aromatic distinctiveness of their base spirit while remaining approachable to first-time aquavit drinkers.
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Everything you need to make a great Nordic Summer at home.
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