Drink of the Week: Ullr Schnapps

Here in Portland, as in much of the country, the weather has finally and irrevocably changed for the season, and it’s time to put away the sandals and pull the boots and fuzzy socks out of storage. It shouldn’t surprise you to read that in Portland we’re hunkered down under a cold and steady drizzle. But are we complaining? Hardly! For one thing, we’re happy to hear that snow flurries have been spotted on nearby Mt. Hood. Before long, we’ll be grabbing our skis and hitting the slopes—followed by hitting that big comfy chair by the ski lodge’s fireplace until we regain feeling in our toes. And this year, we’ll have some help with that last part: Ullr, a peppermint-cinammon schnapps made by Hood River Distillers, just a ski-pole’s throw away from the mighty Mt. Hood itself.

The aroma is exactly what the label describes: bracing peppermint and spicy cinnamon. On the palate, both flavors meld together in one tingly, warming sensation, followed by a slightly chocolatey finish. As befits a schnapps, there’s some sweetness and viscosity, but it’s not overbearing—just as the alcohol is warming but not burning. We recommend lacing your hot cocoa with it, sipping it straight (we expect the original Ullr, Norse god of snow, would approve of that), or making the Snowshoe Cocktail Ted Haigh writes about in the current issue (page 26). Regardless, we’re looking forward to enjoying ULLR’s smooth heat after a day of sliding through snow. In fact, we might just skip the ski trip and head straight to the fireplace.