An elixir of divine origin, crafted by the Valkyrie Eir herself, concealed by the Vikings, whispered through the fjords, legend no more.
Valhalla Elixir, the Viking Shot
Valhalla Elixir is a Nordic herb liqueur, dark, aromatic and boldly herbal. Built on our original 1648 Alter Schwede recipe and reimagined with the herbs of the North, it is colder, fiercer and sharper than its ancestor.
At 30% vol it is made for one thing above all: the Viking Shot, served ice-cold, straight from the freezer. Sip it neat, pour it over ice, or drop it into a serve worthy of Asgard.
A recipe of the Gods
In the year 800 AD, when the Norsemen roamed the rugged lands of Scandinavia, a legend was born, whispered through the fjords and carried on the icy winds. It was the legend of a drink, an elixir of divine origin crafted by the Goddess Valkyrie Eir herself.
The Valkyrie Eir, the fierce warrior maiden of Asgard and Goddess of herbs and healing, descended upon the mortal realm on the shimmering rainbow bridge, Bifröst. She bore with her a precious gift for the original Norsemen, a recipe written in the language of the gods – an ancient herbal elixir that promised unimaginable power and boundless strength.
The list of ingredients she bestowed upon them was filled with rare herbs unknown to the land of the Norsemen. As they examined the recipe, they realised they possessed only half of the herbs required. Determined to harness the elixir's power, they embarked on a perilous journey.
Taking to the seas on their longships, with the bows crafted into dragon heads, they sailed to the farthest reaches of the world, from the desolate shores of Iceland to the lush forests of North America, collecting the missing herbs. With each addition to the recipe, they grew stronger, their dominance unquestionable.
By the year 1000 AD, they had discovered the untouched lands of America, and the elixir had transformed from a mere potion into a gift of invincibility. The Vikings, once mortals, had become near gods of battle themselves.
In 1016, they faced their most formidable adversary in a final, epic battle, the Battle of Assandun. As they emerged victorious, they realised that the elixir was too powerful for just any mortal to possess. It was the brew of gods and a weapon that should not fall into the wrong hands.
With solemn hearts, they concealed the recipe in the most impenetrable depths of their homeland, with the help of magic from the Norse witches, the seið-Kona themselves. The secret was so well-guarded in death that the location of the elixir's hiding place died with the great Vikings. The elixir became a legend, a myth, as people gradually lost faith in its unimaginable might.
The story of the elixir became a mythical saga. The Scandinavian children of Sweden and Denmark would listen to the tale of the mighty elixir before bed, as their mothers and fathers told.
Then, in 1630, during the bloody chaos of the Thirty Years' War, a Swedish merchant recalled the legendary tale from his father. Desperation filled him as he believed this elixir was the only key to ending the war and restoring peace to his beloved homeland and to Europe.
For 15 relentless years, he scoured the lands for clues. Just when he was on the brink of despair, a dream revealed the elixir's location to him. It was buried on the northern coast of Sweden, hidden within a cave guarded by the spectral dance of the northern lights and an ancient spell that dictated only the pure of heart could enter when the colours in the sky were visible.
Having the purest intentions to restore peace to the land, the merchant unearthed the recipe with the guidance of the Gods. Over the next three years, his dedication was to recreating the elixir's lost formula. With each herb he collected, each incantation he whispered, he felt the power of the Viking gods coursing through him just as his ancestors had so many years before.
Presenting his remarkable discovery to Queen Christina, she ordered its distribution among the Swedish army. The elixir, now dubbed the "Elixir of Peace," ignited a resurgence of strength among the Swedish troops. They fought valiantly and with honour, and in 1648, the Peace Treaty was signed in Osnabrück, ending the tragedies of war.
A solemn pledge was made to maintain peace throughout Scandinavia for generations. As a symbol of this promise, the recipe was sealed in the basement of the Osnabrück site where the historic treaty had been signed.
Centuries later, in 1882, excavators stumbled upon the recipe beneath the foundations of the historic site in Osnabrück. Having read the recipe's ingredients and hand-written notes, they believed it was the key to Sweden's triumph in the Thirty Years' War. As a tribute to the brave and determined Swedish merchant, the explorers affectionately named the herbal liqueur "Old Swede," or as we now know it, "Alter Schwede."
Since then, the elixir continued to be distilled, a testament to the valiant spirit of the Norsemen and the enduring legacy they left behind.
In 1993, the Blomendahl Family took the reins of the distillery, preserving the historical significance of the recipe and ensuring that the spirit of the Viking elixir would live on for generations to come. Today, "Valhalla Elixir" is crafted to honour this heritage using the original recipe formulated over 1000 years ago and maintains the elegant balance of herbal flavours originally intended by the great Eir herself.
A saga, retold as our family received it. It is legend: our elixir offers craftsmanship and flavour, nothing more. Enjoy responsibly.
Born from the original 1648 recipe
Behind the saga stands something real: Valhalla Elixir is crafted from the heritage of our Alter Schwede, the original herb liqueur recipe from 1648, guarded in our German house for centuries.
To honour that story, our master distillers took the ancient herbal foundation and reimagined it with the herbs of the North, colder, fiercer, sharper. Two elixirs, one bloodline: Alter Schwede and Valhalla Elixir.
Drink like a Norseman
