Opal Icelandic Liqueur is the bottle that stops experienced tasters in their tracks — a spirit so intensely, aggressively flavored that one spirits retailer's tasting note read simply: "This TASTES more than almost anything I've ever tasted in my life." Named after Opal, one of Iceland's most beloved salted licorice candies, this liqueur has roots in a distinctly Icelandic folk tradition. Legend has it that locals loved the candy so much they would put a box of Opal candies into a bottle of vodka, seal it, and run it through their dishwasher to heat-infuse the candy into the spirit. Brennivín's distillery now does this properly — producing a fermented potato mash base flavored with caraway seeds, dill, and salted licorice spiked with salmiak, a Nordic confectionary salt that gives Icelandic licorice its uniquely astringent, intensely salty character completely unlike American black licorice. The result is aggressive licorice and caraway flavors that coat the entire palate and linger long after the sip — with balanced sweetness keeping it from becoming overwhelming and a hit of menthol sneaking in on the finish to clean things up. Guide to Iceland calls it one of the two distinctly local favorite liqueurs alongside Topas — and among Icelanders, Opal is a rite of passage. Bottled at 40% ABV. Buy Brennivín Opal Icelandic Liqueur online with fast shipping right to your door.

Brennivin