Brennivín

Brennivín, meaning “brandy”, is “the original Icelandic schnapps”.

The liquor is sometimes also called “svarti dauði”, or “Black Death”.

Brennivín is the most famous Icelandic (alcoholic) drink and is said to make some special Icelandic specialties such as Hákarl bearable for “average Europeans”.

Brennivín is made from fermented potatoes and flavored with caraway. It has 37.5% alcohol content by volume.

It is said that the typical black label on the bottles was originally intended to deter people from buying the strong alcohol - but that obviously didn't work and has now long since become a trademark: an ÁTVR logo was shown in a circle in front of the silhouette of the island - ÁTVR is the state-owned alcohol sales company in Iceland.

From 1935, after the end of the general beer ban in Iceland, Brennivín was initially produced by the Vífilfell company until the 1990s. Today the brewery Egill Skallagrimsson Ltd., which also belongs to ÁTVR, produces Brennivín.

Prohibition in Iceland

In Iceland there was initially a total ban on alcohol from 1915. From 922 onwards, wine was allowed to be imported again; from 1934 onwards the prohibition only applied to strong beers with more than 2.25% alcohol.

On March 1st, 1989, the beer ban was completely lifted in Iceland after 74 years - since then, Icelanders have traditionally celebrated their “ bjórdagurinn ” on March 1st “Beer Day”.

[Translated from here.]