Blinking Owl Aquavit
42.5% ABV (85 proof) | 750mL | 10 organic botanicals: caraway, fresh dill & hibiscus | Santa Ana, California — Blinking Owl Aquavit is a California twist on Scandinavia's classic caraway spirit — an unaged aquavit built on organic wheat and malted barley, macerated with 10 organic botanicals and finished with a final steep of caraway that gives it a natural golden hue.
Blinking Owl Distillery, the Santa Ana craft distillery known for Orange County's first legally distilled whiskies, puts its local signature right in the bottle: hibiscus — Santa Ana's city flower — alongside fresh dill, caraway, and undertones of fennel and cardamom. The result is green and spiced, complex yet not overwhelming, with a warm, lingering finish. Sip it chilled neat like a botanical vodka, or shake it into a Bloody Mary or Scandinavian-style cocktail — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Tasting notes
Natural golden hue from the final caraway steep. Nose: green and spiced, caraway and anise, gentle cardamom, floral hibiscus tang. Palate: complex yet smooth, fresh dill and caraway up front, fennel and cardamom underneath. Finish: warm, long, lingering spice.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 10 organic botanicals — caraway, fresh dill, hibiscus, fennel, cardamom and more, all organic
- California twist on a Scandinavian classic — from Blinking Owl Distillery in Santa Ana, CA
- Organic wheat + malted barley base at 85 proof — bolder than typical aquavit
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Serve well-chilled neat or on the rocks; it also shines in a Bloody Mary, a Nordic mule, or any cocktail that calls for a botanical vodka-style spirit.
Frequently asked questions
What is aquavit?
Aquavit (or akvavit) is Scandinavia's signature spirit — a grain or potato distillate flavored primarily with caraway and/or dill. Blinking Owl's version is unaged, at 85 proof.
What does Blinking Owl Aquavit taste like?
Caraway-forward with fresh dill, a floral hibiscus note (Santa Ana's city flower), and undertones of fennel and cardamom — green, spiced, and warming.
Is this the barrel-aged version?
No — this is the standard unaged Aquavit at 85 proof. Blinking Owl also makes a separate "Barrel Vacationed" aquavit at 90 proof; this bottle is the classic expression.