FIRST JOURNEYS - EUROPEAN EXPEDITION- PIN 30 OF 40
ISFJORD GIN - Denmark
A ROAD TRIP WHERE EVERY STOP HAS A STORY
I had hoped to complete this tour within the month, but I couldn't finish without making one final stop in Denmark.
Today's serve is deliberately simple: an Isfjord Premium Arctic Gin & Tonic, garnished with a slice of orange to let the gin do the talking.
Although Greenland and the Faroe Islands form part of the Kingdom of Denmark, they each have their own governments, languages and distinct cultural identities. Greenland, in particular, relies heavily on imported goods. For many years, ships arriving from Denmark often returned with spare cargo capacity, inspiring the idea of transporting one of Greenland's most extraordinary natural resources back across the Atlantic—its ancient glacial water.
Isfjord was founded in 2007 around that simple concept. Icebergs that naturally calve from the Greenland Ice Sheet drift into the spectacular Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site just north of the Arctic Circle. The water locked inside this ice fell as snow thousands of years ago before slowly becoming part of the ice sheet.
Once the ice is collected and melted, it provides exceptionally pure water, forming the heart of Isfjord's spirits.
The gin itself is bottled at 44% ABV and has earned numerous international awards. Alongside classic juniper, the recipe highlights lemongrass, cardamom and orange peel, giving it a bright, fresh citrus profile that pairs beautifully with a crisp tonic and a simple orange garnish.
Greenland has no shortage of myths to accompany such an extraordinary landscape. Inuit folklore tells of Sassuma Arnaa, the Mother of the Sea, who lives beneath the icy waters.
According to legend, she governs all marine animals, releasing them only when treated with respect. When people become greedy or fail to honour nature, she traps the seals, whales and fish in her tangled hair, leaving hunters empty-handed until a shaman journeys to calm her. It's a reminder that in the Arctic, survival has always depended on living in harmony with the natural world.
From ancient ice to a modern gin — a spirit shaped by the Arctic.
The G&T:
As for the tonic in my glass, I originally paired this with Lixir Blood Orange & Cinnamon Tonic, which at the time was one of my favourite mixers and a perfect match for Isfjord’s citrus-forward profile. Sadly, Lixir Drinks has since ceased trading, but the combination was too good not to mention — a reminder of the many wonderful craft brands that have appeared and disappeared alongside the boom over the past decade.
"Show me a bottle and I’ll tell you a story."