Jan 08 2009
Brennivin–A Schnapps From Iceland
I realized after my post yesterday that I forgot to mention Brennivin—Iceland’s “signature alcoholic beverage.” You’re supposed to drink the schnapps with the hakarl (the fermented shark I wrote about yesterday), but it wasn’t available at the small shack where we tasted the shark.
We tasted the drink at an ice bar where we were given special coats and served in very frosted glasses. The drink tastes like caraway seeds, so it’s strong flavor is probably supposed to mask the hakarl, but it doesn’t taste very good itself, so I can’t imagine combining the two!
Although Brennivin is Iceland’s most famous drink, most Icelanders don’t actually drink it much anymore. It has a high alcoholic content and is known as “Black Death.”
If you’re making a trip to Iceland, I would recommend at least having a taste, but don’t expect to finish a bottle.
Photo by Jennifer L. Price, www.jenniferlprice.com
