Snaps is the small, ice-cold pour at the heart of a Nordic table. Also known as aquavit, or akvavit in Danish, it is a grain or potato spirit redistilled with botanicals, and by law the flavour must come chiefly from caraway or dill. That savoury, seed-driven character is what makes it such a natural partner to food.
What snaps is, and how the styles differ
The base spirit is neutral, close to vodka, but the botanicals give snaps its identity. Caraway and dill lead, with fennel, aniseed, coriander and citrus filling out the picture, and the balance shifts from one distiller to the next. Aalborg makes the Danish reference point, its Rød Aalborg built on a caraway recipe unchanged since 1846. Clear table styles, known as taffel, stay bright and crisp, while oak-aged bottlings take on a warmer colour and a rounder feel. If you are exploring the wider category, the rest of our spirits range sits alongside it.
How to drink snaps: the Christmas and Easter table
In Denmark and across the Nordics, snaps belongs to the long festive lunch, the julefrokost at Christmas and its Easter counterpart. Pour it properly cold in small glasses, take it in a sip or two between mouthfuls, and let the caraway cut through oily, salty food. Pickled and cured herring is the classic match, along with smoked fish, rye bread and open sandwiches, plus salty cheese and cold cuts. Many families keep their own infused bottles too, steeping fruit, berries and herbs in a neutral base to make a house snaps that is theirs alone.
Snaps FAQ
What is the difference between snaps and aquavit?
They overlap. Aquavit is the caraway or dill flavoured spirit itself, while snaps is the Nordic word for the small, cold shot you drink with a meal. In Denmark the two are used more or less interchangeably.
How should I serve snaps?
Straight from the freezer or well chilled, in a small glass, and always with food. It is made to punctuate a meal rather than to sip alone, so keep the pours small and the herring close.
Is snaps the same as vodka?
They start from a similar neutral base, but snaps is redistilled or infused with caraway, dill and other botanicals, so it carries far more savoury, herbal flavour. If you like clean spirits, browse the full spirits selection.