Old St. Croix (Riise) Danish Navy Strength

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 55% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Maturation in oak casks and the selection of distillates from the Caribbean and Central America shape this Navy Strength from Old St. Croix. Slow fermentation and distillation, along with a high ester content, are part of its production profile. The blend combines concentrated fruit with a rich spiciness and is bottled at 55%.

The Royal Danish Navy series draws on the brand's historical connection with the Danish navy. Navy Strength recalls the former practice of testing spirits with gunpowder: its ability to ignite served as an indication of alcoholic strength.

The mahogany-coloured spirit is not chill-filtered and contains no colouring. The bottle contains 0.7 litres and comes in gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose evokes stewed dark fruit, caramelised figs and orange peel. A slight alcoholic bite mingles with these aromas.
• Palate: On the palate, the blend is distinctly full-bodied, creamy and spicy. Sherry caramel and dates meet cardamom and eucalyptus.
• Finish: The long finish remains creamy and spicy, accompanied by a note of mint.

Distillery/Bottler:

Old St. Croix continues the history of the A.H. Riise brand. Its namesake, Albert Heinrich Riise, opened a pharmacy on St. Thomas in the then Danish West Indies in 1838. He used local sugarcane alcohol for medicinal preparations and also explored rum production. Among his well-known products was Bay Rum, a hair tonic made with double-distilled rum.

Riise later exported his spirits under the name Old St. Croix. The present-day brand revived this historical name, changing from A.H. Riise to Old St. Croix in 2025. The Royal Danish Navy series, introduced in 2012, recalls the maritime aspect of this history. For today's Navy Strength, distillates from various distilleries are selected and brought together in a blend.

Facts: