# Let's discuss Hard liquor around the world **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2005, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028 "2005-07-25T09:01:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/41 "2005-07-27T11:09:20Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > Well, there’s aquavit, which is mainly Norwegian. It’s made from potatoes or grain, and flavored with things like anise, fennel, caraway seeds or cumin. Aquavit is also made in Denmark and Sweden, but there’s a variation called linje aquavit which is exclusively Norwegian. The difference is that the linje stuff is aged by putting it on a ship bound for Australia or New Zealand (the “Linje” means “line” and refers to the equator). Supposedly both the length of time and the changes in temperature do something really special to the taste. Personally, I think it’s all a yarn dreamed up by an old sea captain who tried to smuggle aquavit to Australia, couldn’t sell it, and spun a tale to make it seem more valuable when he got back home 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SaggySage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@SaggySage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaggySage)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/42 "2005-07-27T13:40:06Z")
You haven’t lived until you’ve had Riga Balsam (Latvian). It is as black as your soul with a kick to match…made out of roots abd herbs found in the woods. Just north, you can find Vana Tallinn (Estonian) which is around 40 % but very very sweet with a cheery flavor. It is very easy to drink for people who don’t like hard liquor and get f### you up very quickly…There is also an egg liquor which as far as I can tell is raw egg, sugar and alchohol There was also the moonshine I had with some Tartars in Kyrgyzstan but I don’t think that it had a brand name… Kumis (fermented mare’s milk) is not distilled but is worth noting… Gínginha - is a Portuguese cherry liquor ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/43 "2005-07-27T15:52:28Z")
> [@Madd Maxx](#): > > Ouzo, from Greece. I’ve had that, and some Chinese substance that may well be distilled from rice (as it tastes so strange and unpleasant) ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028/44 "2005-07-27T16:47:30Z")
**TheLoadedDog** -forgive me, I like the odd Bundy and coke. I also developed a taste for Grand Ridge beers, especially the Gippsland Gold, which is particularly nice. My friend and I went to the food and drink expo in Sydney last year and spent an afternoon getting sloshed on tiny, tiny glasses of Australian wine, beer and rum. All very, very good stuff. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-hard-liquor-around-the-world/314028.md?page=2)