Restauration Aquavit

The ship, skipper and crew are risking their lives at sea – you are risking a bottle of aquavit.

In collaboration with Jærakevitt, DNB (Det Norske Brenneri) and Vinmonopolet, two barrels of aquavit, stored in Madeira barrels, are sailing to New York in the footsteps of the emigrants. Bottles in a limited and numbered edition are available for pre-sale from the fall of 2024

When you buy a bottle of Restauration Aquavit, you are contributing directly to the success of the voyage and securing the ship’s journey across the Atlantic. This is your chance to own a piece of history, while supporting the Friends and the funding of this epic voyage.

Now you have an exclusive opportunity to secure a one-of-a-kind cargo ship that will sail to America. The first 100 bottles of Restauration Aquavit are now available for sale. Each bottle comes in an ornate wooden box made at Åna Prison, and includes a piece of bowsprit, ropes from the ship, two handcrafted high quality crystal glasses delivered by Otteren Jewellery, a small book about the story from 1825 with interpretation in 2025 and each bottle has a unique artwork signed by Ingvar Moi on the bottle. Sustainable! A unique collector’s item at all times.

All bottles are numbered:

• Bottles 1-10: NOK 30,000 per piece (aprox. 2700$ USD)
• Bottles 11-100: NOK 7,500 each (aprox. 680$ USD)

Several have been sold, and feel free to contact us if you want a special number.

To order: post@restauration.no or text to +47 92438515.


When Restauration sails again i 2025, there will be an American trunk on board. Among several historical elements recreated for 2025, we find The story of “Moonshine & Potatoes”.

This collaboration includes Jærakevitt, DNB (Det Norske Brenneri), Arcus and Vinmonopolet. Focusing on the role of spirits in 19th century Norwegian society-and the Restauration voyage in 1825.

See more details and photos of the aquavit that accompanied the voyage (with Norwegian text).

And the launch of the Restauration Aquavit following the return voyage, on January 21, 2026.

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The spirits anchor at Restauration

Reflections and excerpts from a text (in Norwegian) by Dag Hovda Sture, the Quaker Community in Stavanger, 2024:

When Quakers and Haugians brought an anchor of spirits on the boat in 1825, it was not unusual, even though the temperance movement had not yet emerged in Norway. At the time, alcohol use was widespread, and spirits were often seen as medicine or a tonic. The Quakers never had a total ban on alcohol, but advised moderation. The liquor on board was not to be drunk by the passengers, but sold to raise income for provisions.

Quakers have since gone from being temperance people to becoming leaders in the total abstinence movement, especially with Asbjørn Kloster who founded the first total abstinence association in 1859. Still, there’s no denying that “Restauration” in 2025 carries an anchor of Jærakevitt, something that would have been unthinkable 100 years ago.