Black Death

Black Death could be a band, or the bubonic plague from 1346 to 1353, or a supervillain, or petroleum, or <drum roll> a drink only made in Iceland! It is Schnapps that tastes lightly of licorice. How could you not want to taste something named that? (I am actually a total lightweight so I probably could not do much more than taste it.)

Iceland also has bread baked inside the earth next to geysers, and that sounds too cool not to try as well. Some of the other Icelandic dishes I think I can pass on. 

But back to Black Death. 

Iceland was once ruled by Denmark. In 1602 the Danish King decided a trade monopoly with the colony would be a good way to make money. Only certain merchants could trade with Iceland.  They stopped trading mead, beer, honey, and malt because they took up space. Spirits took up less space, didn't spoil, and could be sold for more. Spirits were distilled with a technique called burning, which apparently tasted so wonderful that people had to put herbs in it to make it palatable. Iceland had caraway.  Is it any wonder Iceland wanted independence?  


The Icelandic government set up an alcohol company and made caraway-flavored Brennivín (burnt wine). The government used a white skull on the black label to warn against drinking it, leading to the nickname the Black Death. Other people apparently responded the same way I am. Brennivín became a pop-culture icon.


Thank you Irish!