Locals nicknamed it 'Black Death' — not for its strength, but because early bottles carried a plain black label meant to discourage drinking during a period of alcohol restrictions.
This clear, unsweetened schnapps is distilled from fermented potato mash and flavored with caraway seeds, served ice-cold in small shots. It's the traditional chaser poured alongside hákarl, meant to cut through the shark's sharp ammonia bite.
Why it's made this way: Brennivín and hákarl became a fixed pairing because the schnapps' sharp caraway bite is strong enough to cut through the fermented shark's smell, a combination Westfjords producers and their tasting rooms still serve together today.
Roughly what's in it
97kcal
0gprotein
0gcarbs
0gfat
Estimated per typical street-vendor portion — not lab-tested.