Vana Tallinn

For the ship named Vana Tallinn, see M/S Vana Tallinn.

Vana Tallinn

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Type	Liqueur
Manufacturer	Liviko
Country of origin	Estonia
Introduced	1960
Alcohol by volume	40%, 45%, 50%
Proof (US)	80, 90, 100
Colour	dark brown
Variants	Vana Tallinn Vana Tallinn Winter Spice Vana Tallinn Heritage Edition Vana Tallinn Cream
Website	liviko.ee

Vana Tallinn (Estonian for Old Tallinn) is a dark brown and robust rum-based liqueur developed in the 1960s and produced by the Estonian company Liviko. The liqueur is sweet with a hint of Jamaican rum, flavoured by various natural spices, including citrus oil, cinnamon and vanilla.

Overview

The three main varieties of Vana Tallinn are:

• Vana Tallinn 40% (80 proof)
• Vana Tallinn 45% (90 proof)
• Vana Tallinn 50% (100 proof)

Also made are

• Vana Tallinn Winter Spice (35% or 70 proof)

This liqueur is produced since November 2012. It is based on Vana Tallinn liqueur with the addition of cinnamon, cardamom, anise and nutmeg.

• Vana Tallinn Heritage Edition (40% or 80 proof)
• Vana Tallinn Cream (16% or 32 proof)
• Vana Tallinn Chocolate Cream (16% or 32 proof)
• Vana Tallinn Coffee Cream (16% or 32 proof)

Serving

Vana Tallinn can be shot straight or it can be added to coffee, forming Vana Tallinn coffee in a way similar to Irish coffee. The liqueur makes a component for a row of various cocktails, also it is possible to serve it on the rocks.

The sweetness and flavours disguise the high alcohol content making it potentially dangerous, especially in a cocktail called the "hammer and sickle" where it is mixed with Russian sparkling wine. The drink is so named because according to local legend, it hits the drinker on the head and cuts off his legs. It is mixed with 1 part Vana Tallinn and 4 parts sparkling wine or champagne.

The normal Vana Tallinn is also sometimes mixed with milk or kefir to make something resembling the cream liqueur version.

Vana Tallinn

Distribution

Vana Tallinn is widely available in all of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), as well as Russia and Finland. Although it is advertised as an ancient and traditional Estonian drink, the production actually started only in September 1960.

American Distribution

Until recently, Vana Tallinn had been only available in Europe, making it nearly impossible for anyone in the U.S. to acquire a bottle short of bringing it back from a trip. In 2007, Matrics Importing, based in Oak Lawn, Illinois, became the US importer for Vana Tallinn. Efforts were under way to establish nationwide distribution and gain broad acceptance of the product. As of 2014, Matrics Importing has discontinued the importing and distribution of Vana Tallinn anywhere in the United States, citing that the venture became cost prohibitive when the manufacturer refused to invest any money into advertising the product in the US. Currently Matrics Importing has no plans to begin re-importing Vana Tallinn.

Since 2007, Vana Tallinn has received industry recognition with a Silver Medal in the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits competition, a 94 rated review in the April 2008 edition of "The Tasting Panel" magazine and a Gold designation of 90 points from the Beverage Testing Institute in their 2009 International Review of Spirits which can be found on their Tastings website.

Distribution in Japan

Liviko introduces and distributes Vana Tallinn liqueurs among its other products in Japan since 2010 via the subsidiary Hanza Trading Co.

External links

• Liviko product description
• Vana Tallinn Newspaper article archived on the Estonian embassy website
• April 2008 Tasting Panel magazine review
• "Cocktails of the South Pacific and Beyond", a book published by International Cuisine Press (with recipes and details about Vana Tallinn)