BESIDE THE FURNACE OF AN EPIC FOUNDRY, A STORIED TRADITION DATING BACK TO 1580...

In the 16th century when the Åkers Styckebruk cannon foundry was in production, mountains of charcoal fueled fires that burned day and night. The owners relied on men who worked continuously to maintain the temperatures. Keen to keep their workers close, and aware of the local love for drink, they built a distillery on the premises. To men who arrived on time and didn’t stray from their duties they gave coins that could be redeemed for vodka. At the height of production Gripsholm employed 280 men, and produced over a million liters of vodka annually. It was the largest distillery in Sweden. Today it is one of the most sustainable distilleries in the world.