Northern Lights Spirits

Wüstenberg first took an interest in distilling because of the history of his mother’s hometown, Kitee in eastern Finland: the town is renowned for having been a major bootlegging hub during the 1930s prohibition in Finland. He decided to name his gin after Kalevala, the epic poetry that consists of Finnish folklore and mythology. “I used the Finnish national epic as a source of inspiration for Kalevala gin because the epic is based near here, in Finnish Karelia,” explains Wüstenberg. The Kalevala epic revolves around Ilmarinen, a blacksmith who forged a magical artefact, called Sampo, which brings wealth and good fortune to its holder. “It seemed fitting to call our still Sampo, as it creates great happiness,” Wüstenberg laughs.