Laaka Liqueor

[crazy4cruisn]

My son says there is a liqueor called Laaka (sp?) made from Cloud Berry that is from somewhere in the Baltics and he wants us to bring him some. Anyone know anything about it?

[swdke]

My son says there is a liqueor called Laaka (sp?) made from Cloud Berry that is from somewhere in the Baltics and he wants us to bring him some. Anyone know anything about it?

 

Laaka sounds Finnish, but I could be wrong.

[crazy4cruisn]

Steve,

Thanks so much! You are an endless supply of help......amazing. I had done a google search and just could not find anything, my spelling perhaps :)

Any way, thanks! BTW, know of any stores or ports where this is best to buy?

Nancy

[Gardendog]

I buy this at the Arlanda airport as I'm leaving Sweden.

You would probably be able to buy it in a liquor shop in Sweden. The liquor shops in Sweden are government owned and operated. They have very limited opening hours. They are called "Systembolaget" and usually have a green/yellow sign. Ask people on the street where the nearest Systembolag is located. You cannot buy liquor in a grocery store in Sweden.

 

I am not familiar where else you would be able to buy it in other ports. However, it seems very likely that you would be able to buy it in Finland, being a Finnish product. It is produced in Turku, Finland.

 

This is what it says on the bottle:

"Cloudberry (Hjortron in Swedish) is a typical wild berry of bogs and wet lands. A cloudberry is a rere wild berry which requires an absolutely pure environment for growing and maturin. It's taste is soft and deliciously sweet."

 

Growing up in northern Sweden, we would pick these. It is very difficult, since they grow in marshes. They are not commercially grown at all. They are very precious and very expensive, if you are even able to buy them. They are made into jam and people use the jam as ice cream topper, or for special dessert. You would not find lots of people wasting it on toast. :)

 

Another special liquor from Finland is Messimarja. That's made from "Field berries"-- I don't know the proper name in English, since the small red berries, growing in ditches don't grow here. They are callled Messimarja in Finnish and Åkerbär in Swedish. The liquor is extremely rare, I have a bottle here at home, but it's not always possible to buy it. I prefer the Lakka liquor however.

 

I'm sure this is WTMI, but here it is!:eek:

[Gardendog]

Actually, the Mesimarja berry is called Arctic bramble (Rubus arcticus). Arctic bramble is an ever-dwindling berry growing wild in the north. For centuries it has been valued as the most delicious berry in the whole of Europe.

[SaylorGirl]

Steve & Greta - Thanks it sounds good to me. I'll have to pick up a bottle.

[kinghw]

I purchased a small (0.5 L) bottle of Lapponia Lakka in the basement of the Stockmanns dept store in Helsinki while we were there last week with the Constellation. I don't remember the exact price but it was less than 10 Euro. I am sure any alcohol store in Helsinki has it.

 

Happened to sample it last night, it has a great flavor. Hard to describe, so I think I'll have a bit more tonight ;)

[dbh62ark]

This is a little off the subject, but did you see a Mephisto shoe store next to Stockman's in Helsinki?

 

Thanks,

Donna

[crazy4cruisn]

Thanks Greta, Henry, Pat and Steve! This will make son happy!

Nancy

[kinghw]

This is a little off the subject, but did you see a Mephisto shoe store next to Stockman's in Helsinki?

 

Thanks,

Donna

 

Sorry I can't be helpful, but I didn't and wouldn't have noticed one anyway.

 

Good luck!

[dbh62ark]

Thanks, kinghw! :)

[Joyfredsblondecruiser]

I am really looking forward to trying this. Happy Sailing, Joy