The history of spirits is relatively short compared with that of wine and beer, which have existed for thousands of years.

The art of distilling wine first emerged in Europe around the year 900. The Egyptians perfected the technique around 600 A.D, mainly by producing different extracts from plants for use in curing disease.

Uisge beatha, Aquae vite or aqua vitae and the French eau de vie – all mean "the water of life".  For a long time, it was believed that alcohol also had healing and life-prolonging qualities.  So, in many ways, the water of life was a natural definition.

Different countries have developed their own spirits based on local raw ingredients and conditions. Most of these are still very local, whereas a few spirits have become international and are produced almost everywhere – such as vodka and gin. Others have maintained a strong local origin, such as grappa, calvados and aquavit.

You can read more about the history of the various types of Norwegian spirits here.