The reverberation of flavors and drinks in the Åland archipelago

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Text and photo: Mauro Rongione

Here, a gastronomy is sprouting where drinks take up as much space as food, which both surprises and seduces. Whiskey that has just hit the market, beer that balances between classic and experimental. In addition, sensational finds of historic champagne and beer, renowned chefs and hotels with strong character. In Åland, the impressions are many – and the diversity is greater than you first suspect.

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A journey through the flavors of the islands

We move through Åland's world of breweries and distilleries. The journey begins on the ferry deck where the wind has just caressed our hair, while the landscape has gradually changed. As we glide into the archipelago, a vast archipelago landscape spreads out, made up of thousands of islands and islets that together create a view that many consider to be one of the most fascinating in the world.

Here, red granite cliffs meet windswept pines and open horizons, where the sea is ever present. The contrast between the barren and the tranquil creates a powerful and calming setting. Åland consists of over 6,700 islands and has around 30,000 inhabitants, but attracts around 1.8 million visitors annually.

The Village of Flavors

A central location for both tourists and locals is Flavour village, located a few kilometers north of Mariehamn, by the sea and near Kastelholm Castle. Here we try the characterful whiskey while the restaurant offers food created by Michael Björklund – a chef with international credentials.

He has been named Chef of the Year in Finland (1997) and Sweden (2000), has participated in television programs, written cookbooks and also won Robinson 2020. His cooking is inspired by Nordic home cooking, but with a clear local roots and rustic feel. Courses and drink tastings are also offered here.

The idea for Flavour village was born in 2011 when we wanted to bring everything we did under one roof, says Michael's wife Jenny. Previously, the couple ran several restaurants in different locations, which meant a lot of commuting. One piece of the puzzle that is still missing is their own brewery – but the plans are there.

Whiskey born from apples

In recent years, Åland has also started to take its place on the map for those interested in more artisanal spirits. At the center is the small distillery at Kastelholm, Åland Distillery, which is so far the only one of its kind on the islands.

The business is characterized by small volumes and a clear desire to work with local conditions. This is not least noticeable in the way barrels that previously contained apple distillate, so-called apelbrand – a protected Åland specialty with clear kinship to French Calvados. The product was previously called Ålvados – a connection to the strong Åland apple tradition that also leaves its mark on the spirit.

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Åland Distillery 15 yo Apelbrand Barrels, the first whisky from the distillery to reach the market as late as spring 2025. It was a limited edition from a single cask, aged for a long time in just such apple casks. The edition was very small, 90 bottles, which quickly made it a sought-after item among collectors and enthusiasts.

The flavor profile moves between classic whisky nuances and more unexpected elements. There is sweetness from malt and honey, notes of vanilla and caramel, but also a clear element of toasted oak and a fruitiness that draws on apple. In parallel, a smokier variant is also being developed, aged in barrels from the Swedish Mackmyra.

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Behind the initiative are several players from the local beverage and restaurant world, including Michael Bjorklund from The Taste Village, the Swedish whisky entrepreneur Carl Lönndahl and the brewery Stable yard. Although gin and liqueurs have dominated production so far, whiskey is an obvious part of the distillery's continued development.

Finland's apple orchard

Åland is often called Finland's apple orchard, as around 80 percent of the country's apple orchards are located here. Smakbyn's apple wine and herbaceous apple liqueur have a fresh acidity that balances the sweetness. They go perfectly with, for example, blue cheese or a tasty brie. The range also includes pear and cherry liqueurs.

Juniper, citrus and a Finnish classic

Using local juniper berries as a base, gin is also produced at Åland's only distillery, Åland Distillery. The result is a spicy drink with citrus notes, which some prefer to enjoy without additives. There is also a rosé variant.

 In Finland, Gin Long Drink a well-known classic, created for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. It is often flavoured with grapefruit or other fruits and has become an integral part of the drinking culture. Gin from Finland has also made an international impact and has been awarded several awards in various prestigious drinking competitions.

Not least, the gin producer has Arctic Blue Beverages strengthened its international position during the year, with success in both the American and European markets. Arctic Blue Gin Rosé was awarded a Double Gold Medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition – the fourth time the product has achieved this distinction since its launch

An island with its own compass

Åland is part of Finland but has extensive autonomy. Swedish is the dominant language, and the parliament makes its own laws. It has its own police and its own license plates, while Finland is responsible for currency and taxes, for example.

The archipelago is also demilitarized, meaning that no military forces are stationed here. It also has its own peace institute.

The so-called sisu spirit – perseverance and drive – is clearly evident.

Stallhagen – from local to international

We usually say that we are family-owned, because we have over 3,000 shareholders, says Elin Persson, operations manager at Pub Stallhagen. Stable yard was founded in 2004 and is located north of Mariehamn. Beer is produced here and exported to several countries. The facility also houses a gastropub, farm shop, disc golf course and the floating stage Stallhalla. “Our beers have distinct but balanced flavors,” she says.

Pommern – a ship that has become a beer

Stallhagens Pommern Pale Ale gets its name from the historic four-masted sailing ship Pommern, a cargo ship that was launched in 1903 and is today considered unique in its kind.

Just like the Colosseum for Rome, Pommern has become a strong Åland symbol and the brewery a popular destination in Åland. The beer itself is medium-bodied with fruity notes, a balanced bitterness and a finish that draws out the slightly bitter taste in a pleasant way.

Currently, only Stallhagen's beer represents Åland in the Systembolaget range. Among these is Stallhagen Honungsöl, where malt sweetness meets notes of honey, light bread and apricot. Although the honey plays a central role, it mainly contributes aroma rather than obvious sweetness.

Another of their products is Stallhagen Baltic Porter – a full-bodied and well-balanced beer with roasted notes of malt, semolina, dark chocolate and tobacco, complemented by nuances of fig, sweet licorice and coffee.

When the sea preserves what time forgot

The brewery typically launches around ten new beers each year, while adding about the same number to its regular range. One of the most notable products is Historic Beer 1843, which is described as an authentic reconstruction of the world's oldest preserved beer.

It is spontaneously fermented, lacks a distinct bitterness and has essentially no prominent hop aroma. Instead, the taste is based on local wild yeast and gives associations to a fruity, slightly spicy and sparkling wine with fresh acidity. But how did the idea to recreate this particular drink actually come about?

The background goes back to 2010, when divers found a shipwreck from the early 19th century at a depth of about 50 meters in Åland waters. The wreck, known as the Champagne wreck/Föglövraket, contained over a hundred bottles of champagne, including Veuve Clicquot, and five bottles of beer.

Through analyses carried out in collaboration with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Belgian university KU Leuven, the brewery managed to identify the contents of the beer and subsequently produce a modern version – Historic Beer 1843.

The myth of the cargo that never reached its port

There is a theory that the champagne may have been on its way to the Russian court in St. Petersburg, but no documentary evidence has ever been found. What is known, however, is that the ship was likely en route from Copenhagen to St. Petersburg. During the early 19th century, the Russian aristocracy and court were among the largest consumers of French champagne, which makes the destination entirely plausible in this context.

A frequently recurring hypothesis is that the cargo was intended for the court of Tsar Nicholas I. This is based, among other things, on the fact that the champagne house Veuve Clicquot – sometimes called the “Yellow Widow” – was a court supplier to the Russian Empire at this time. In addition, the champagne was unusually sweet, which is in line with the taste profile preferred by the Russian upper class during the period.

Both the beer and the champagne, including from Veuve Clicquot, are now considered ancient finds. According to experts and the few who have had the opportunity to taste the champagne, it still maintains a remarkably high quality (read the section about Kvarnbo and Ella further down).

When the sea becomes a wine cellar

This has inspired Veuve Clicquot to experiment with storing champagne on the seabed, together with scientists. In a secret location below the ocean surface, bottles are left to rest and then compared with traditionally stored varieties.

The question is whether vintage champagne aged at sea can change the view on aging and quality in the future. The answer remains to be seen.

Jonas' passion for beer

Hand on heart. I'm probably not the most suitable person to run a brewery, says Jonas Jakobsson on Open Water Brewery.

He laughs and says that he used to mainly buy cheap beer on the ferry. But when he got to try a friend's home-brewed beer, everything changed.

In 2015, the journey towards our own brewery began in Knutsboda, Lemland, about 15 minutes from Mariehamn. Here, both experimental small batches and more traditional beer styles are produced.

To finance their more creative projects, they also produce more accessible beers, such as American pale ale.

In total, they have produced around forty different varieties. Many are produced only in one-off editions. Among these is Kvack! Kvack! Boom!, a tasty IPA with grapefruit notes, where the yeast comes from Norway, the hops from Sweden and the malt from Finland.

Another beer is Paradoxale, a Black IPA where the roasted malt is added later in the process, giving more nutty notes while the bitterness comes mainly from hops.

In addition to beer, cider and Köldknäpp, a sweet dessert wine made from apples, are also produced.

Challenges and ambitions

Small breweries are strongly influenced by the outside world. Pandemics, the energy crisis and global conflicts have had a major impact.

The price of glass bottles rose by 400 percent overnight, says Jonas Jakobsson.

They continue despite this, often with other jobs on the side. The goal is to create one or more bestsellers, like the established brewery Stallhagen.

We sometimes give them a signal when we wonder about something in production, but they rarely need to call us, says Jonas Jakobsson with a laugh.

In a place like Åland, collaboration between entrepreneurs is often a given. As islanders, there is a strong tradition of supporting each other, especially in the business community. In addition, regulations and legislation are largely designed to benefit local actors and their businesses. Large international chains are therefore largely conspicuous by their absence in this archipelago environment.

A farm with a British touch where silence has become a luxury

Many parents, once their children have moved away from home, start to fantasize about new challenges in life. For Hans and Jackie Lindmark, that thought took concrete form after inspiration from an exchange student who lived with them. The idea grew: why not turn the family's summer home in Åland into a bed and breakfast?

The decision became a reality. They left their teaching jobs in Stockholm, and Hans' previous experience as a carpenter quickly proved to be an invaluable asset in the work of renovating the farm. In 2017, they welcomed their first guests at Björnhofvda Farm, which is located approximately thirty kilometers northwest of Mariehamn.

The style of both the building and the interior is inspired by British colonial architecture and classic English summer houses – a clear connection to Jackie’s British background. The atmosphere is consistently calm and understated, and the place is aimed at guests seeking tranquility in natural surroundings. Therefore, it is not possible to book here with children under the age of 10.

Here, the day begins with the quiet rustle of the trees rather than the noise of the city. Guests can settle in for breakfast, lunch or dinner, indulge in traditional British afternoon tea or select something from the wine cellar for evening discussions.

Our ideas and tastes are greatly influenced by travels we have made, for example in India and Sri Lanka, says Hans Lindmark. -I love older hotels that have retained their soul, where you can almost feel the presence of history in the walls.

The city tavern, where whiskey invites to nightly conversations

Called City Restaurant in folk language Stadskrogshuset, located at Norra Esplanadgatan 2 in the middle of central Mariehamn, is a place where you can easily sit down for a drink or a meal, whether it's lunch or dinner. The building, built in 1927, is characterized by its arched windows and generous ceiling height. It is a so-called county governor's house, which means that the ground floor is built of stone while the upper floors are made of wood.

The cuisine distinguishes itself by combining local ingredients with influences from other parts of the world, providing a menu with both anchoring and variety.

In November 2022, Called City Restaurant hosted the semi-final of the Whisky World Cup, the world's largest beverage competition, where the focus was on blind tasting of smoky whiskies from newer producers. On this occasion, Swedish High Coast was once again recognized for its New Make Peated, The Festival 2022: A blend of smoky and unsmoked whiskey aged in bourbon barrels and new American oak.

When the semi-final was held here, we also took the opportunity to start our own whisky club, says owner Timo Vetriö. Today, it consists of around forty committed members who meet regularly to try together and analyze all night long.

The bar houses a wide selection of whiskies from different parts of the world, making the place an obvious stop for curious whisky connoisseurs. In addition to the restaurant in Mariehamn, Kallas also runs a branch with a garden café in Sandö on Vårdö, about fifty kilometers northeast of the city.

Kvarnbo Pensionat – where wine and family history meet

Kvarnbo Guesthouse is located about 25 kilometers northeast of Mariehamn and offers a complete experience in a classic manor house environment. It houses a hotel, restaurant and art gallery. Ella Grüssner Cromwell-Morgan and her husband, Martin, who was born in London, took over and began renovating the estate in 2001.– When the first room was finished, there were only nineteen rooms left to renovate. And a few farmhouses, says Ella.

Behind the operations at Kvarnbo is a story that extends far beyond today's wine tastings and dinners. Ella Grüssner Cromwell-Morgan's family history is deeply rooted in Åland and carries both entrepreneurship and dramatic events.

Her grandmother, Anna-Greta Hagmark, ran the Solkulla guesthouse in Åland during the interwar period, a business that was in operation until the end of World War II. Through her marriage to a German citizen, the family was strongly influenced by political developments in Europe.

When the war ended in 1945, everything changed. The family's assets were classified as German property under the regulations of the time. Anna-Greta and her four children, including Ella's father Ulf, were taken to an internment camp in Lempäälä, where they remained for a long period. At the same time, the Solkulla guesthouse was seized and transferred to Soviet control as part of the war reparations.

After their release the following year, the family returned to Åland and started over. In an old forge, a bakery was started – Kvarnbo Hembageri – which became a new foundation for the business. Today, the place lives on in a new form through Kvarnbo Pensionat and Vinsmedjan, where tastings are arranged and guests can enjoy both wine and food in thoughtful combinations.

The old Solkulla property remained Russian state property for a long time and gradually fell into disrepair. Recently, the situation has changed, as Finnish authorities took over the property, along with other Russian-owned properties in the country, as part of legal actions linked to international compensation claims.

Ella is a familiar face from the TV show Strömsö, where she appeared as a sommelier. In addition, she is a trained musician and works as an oenologist, with knowledge of the entire process from grape to finished wine. – For me, it feels incredibly luxurious to be here at Kvarnbo, because I can really use all my interests in one place, she says with a smile.

When the champagne rang at the door

One day – or rather one late evening – she suddenly received an assignment that few even dare to imagine, Ella says enthusiastically. It was as if luck itself had knocked on the door. Divers had made an unexpected find in the Åland archipelago: a shipwreck that was about two hundred years old. In the cargo were boxes filled with bottles that still contained liquid.

Now they needed someone who could determine what was hidden in them – and above all, how it tasted. The choice naturally fell on Ella, a well-regarded sommelier with experience in interpreting even the most elusive nuances.

Champagne or vinegar

With great caution, she opened one of the bottles. She began by studying the color, brought the glass to her nose and inhaled the aroma, before letting a small amount of wine move slowly over her tongue. A brief moment of concentration followed – and then insight.

What she had expected to smell of the seabed, decay, and trapped water instead turned out to carry aromas of yellow raisins, tobacco, leather, fresh citrus, and a hint of apple cider. What she had just tasted was champagne—and likely one of the oldest still preserved in the world.

This is just a part of what Åland has to offer. For those who travel here, more stories await beyond the next island. And the sea lies calmly and blankly, and its echo echoes across the archipelago.

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Mr Mauro Rongione

Mauro is a professional photographer, filmmaker and writer. After studying art and film studies in Rome Mauro trained as a photographer at the International Centre of Photography in New York, where he also worked at Crain's New York Business Magazine. A few decades later, Mauro has photo and film assignments around the world, focusing on people, architecture, travel, design, art, food and nature. His clients include Intellecta, OTW, Aller, HSB, Svenska Dagbladet, Gourmet, Lantliv, Plaza Deco, Vagabond, Gods & Gårdar, Vasakronan and others.

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