Haavaldsen Distillery

About the distillery

Haavaldsen Distillery is located by Drammensfjord in Drammen, about 25 minutes west of Oslo. The distillery works across gin, aquavit, whisky, rum, vodka, and liqueur, but it’s especially the Nordic botanicals, the classic Norwegian aquavits, and the first single malt that make the place interesting for whisky lovers with an eye for craftsmanship and origin.

History

The story begins in 2007, when Ståle started working with herbs spirit. Two years later, the first small batches arrived, and in 2013 the distillery was established at Kimerud Farm in Lier. The following year, Ståle created the first Kimerud gin, which also secured the distillery its first gold medal. In 2015, the first aquavit followed—Håvaldsen Triple Cask—which has since gone on to bring home several competition wins. In the summer of 2023, the distillery’s first whisky was bottled, opening a new chapter alongside the spirits that had built the name over the years. The distillery also pulls clear family ties into its brand names: Håvaldsen refers to Ståle’s grandfather, while Stiger refers to the great-grandfather Ottar Håvaldsen, who worked in Svalbard’s mines for decades and was honored for long and faithful service.

Ingredients and production

The production centers on botanicals and Nordic herbs. The gins’ character is built through careful blending of very fine botanicals, many grown in the Lier valley. Other herbs are harvested wild in the Arctic zone in Norway and take their flavor and aroma from the Arctic Sea. The cold Norwegian climate also plays a role, because it delays the plants’ growth and gives the raw materials more depth. The available text does not provide specific information about mashing, fermentation, and the actual distillation, but it’s clear that the distillery intentionally works with local herbs and botanical profiles as its hallmark.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation is described only sparingly in the available material, but there are some clear signals. Håvaldsen Triple Cask already points to a triple cask profile in the name, and a later update states that Kimerud Pepper Gin Liqueur has been laid down in two different casks, sherry and French oak. This shows a willingness to use casks as a source of flavor, not just as containers. For the whisky, there are still no public details about cask types in the delivered text, so that part remains open in the story.

Whiskies

The core of the range is broad, but with clear family lines. The Kimerud part contains several gin expressions, from Dry and Pink to Botanical and Navy Strength, while the Håvaldsen name brings together the aquavits, including Triple Cask and Sommer Taffel. The Stiger name marks the whisky and gives the distillery a new and more malt-based direction. The portfolio is therefore not yet a whisky series in the classic sense, but a distillery with a strong botanical identity, where the first single malt stands as an important supplement to the established gin and aquavit tracks.

The style and flavor profile of the whiskies

Flavor-wise, a clear Nordic profile comes through. Håvaldsen Sommer Taffel Aquavit features caraway, dill, coriander, and fennel, while citrus appears through orange and lemon. At the same time, the distillery’s botanical work points toward a more herb-driven and fresh direction, with ingredients from the Lier valley and wild herbs from the Arctic. Taken together, it results in an expression where spices, citrus, and Nordic herbs carry the flavor.

Visit the distillery

The distillery can be visited on guided tours. A visit lasts about 1.5–2 hours and includes a tour and tastings of six different spirits at 1.5 cl each. The price is 500 NOK per person, and booking is only available as a pre-order for at least four people or for at least 2000 NOK. Seats are reserved by sending an inquiry to sjohnsen@kimerud.no. In connection with the site, there is also a shop with the distillery’s own glasses and merchandise.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

Haavaldsen Distillery works based on a clear idea of curated quality spirits. Quality is linked to selected botanicals—many from the Lier valley—and to herbs harvested wild in the Arctic zone. The cold Norwegian climate is seen as an advantage, because it gives the plants longer growth and more richness. The philosophy is therefore down-to-earth and ingredient-based: local herbs, Nordic origin, and a deliberate focus on balance in the finished spirits.

Prices and recognition

• Gold medal (2014, Won)

• 95 points (2023, Won, Haavaldsen Sommer Taffel Aquavit)

Latest news

First STIGER Single Malt Whisky for sale in Norway – 2021-06-01

The distillery stated that the first 80 bottles of STIGER Single Malt Whisky were put up for sale in Norway from 1 June 2021.