Kijafa Cherry Wine

There aren't many drinks where the name itself is a love letter to a single town – but Kijafa is one of them.

The letters stand for Kirsebær, Jacobsen and Faaborg, named after the family who discovered, in 19th-century Funen, that sun-ripened cherries could become something far richer and longer-lasting than ordinary juice.

The result is a sweet, deep-red cherry wine that has sat on Danish Christmas tables, coffee tables and lazy Sunday afternoons ever since – without ever really changing its character.

Kijafa Original Cherry Wine 75 cl 16%

Item no.: 22227865423150258-

Denmark's first vineyard didn't start with grapes, but with cherries - a tradition that has stayed alive since 1841.
Expert's Description
Kijafa Original is a Cherry Wine from Denmark with an alcohol content of 16%.
In 1841, Councillor of Justice J.J. Jacobsen began making cherry wine at Denmark's first vineyard, and the wine has since been made according to recipes already known at grand Funen manor houses in the 1700s. Kijafa is made from carefully selected cherries that give it a sweet and pleasant bouquet, and has won acclaim around the world.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Sweet and pleasant scent of ripe cherries.
Palate
Full cherry sweetness with a lightly tart undercurrent.
Finish
Long and sweet.
Serving & Food Pairing
Serve chilled at 10-12°C in a small dessert glass. Pairs with desserts, chocolate or alone as a digestif.
Specifications
Name: Kijafa Original
Producer: Kijafa
Region/Country: Funen, Denmark
Type: Cherry Wine
ABV: 16%
Size: 75 CL
Vegan: No
Serving Temperature: 10-12°C
Decanting Recommended: No
Glass Type: Dessert Glass
Flavour Profile
Sweet · Fruity · Full · Classic
Did You Know?
Kijafa is named after the Funen manor houses where the recipe originally came from, and the name has stood as a synonym for Danish cherry wine both at home and abroad since 1841.
See our full range of Kijafa
17,25

1pcs.
15,00EUR

About Kijafa

Kijafa isn't a distillery or a winery in the classic sense – it's a recipe that outlived its own hometown. The wine is made by fermenting and fortifying cherry juice with neutral spirit, and it's still the cherry stones that give it its little twist: a hint of almond and marzipan hiding beneath all the sweetness. For newcomers, Kijafa is a gentle way into Danish drinking tradition – no prior knowledge required, just a glass and a bit of patience with the sweetness. For collectors, the appeal lies elsewhere: Kijafa is one of the last commercially available traces of Funen's fruit wine tradition, which has otherwise all but vanished from the shelves, and it's now part of the Norwegian Arcus Group's Danish portfolio – a long way from the small backyard house on Østergade where it all began.

History & background

The story starts with merchant Jørgen Jacobsen, who ran a business from a courtyard property on Østergade in Faaborg in the first half of the 19th century. It was his son, Johan Jacob Jacobsen, who set up a distillery in the back building in 1845 and truly got production going – liqueur, punch and, above all, cherry wine, made from local berries and recipes dating back to the manor houses of 18th-century Funen. The cherry wine became such a hit that it was sold across the country and even exported, while Jacobsen himself rose to become both a privy councillor and an honorary citizen of Faaborg. In the early 1930s, production moved from Faaborg to Odense, and the Kijafa name followed it into what later became part of De Danske Spritfabrikker. Today it's produced under Danish Distillers, owned by the Norwegian beverage group Arcus – but the recipe is still largely the one that once made the people of Faaborg proud of their local merchant.

Production & style

The base is cherries – pressed, fermented and then fortified with neutral spirit, bringing the wine to 16% and giving it a richness ordinary fruit juice never gets close to. The cherry stones make the difference: left in during the process, they lend a subtle almond note that keeps the otherwise pronounced sweetness in check. The style has stayed true to its fortified-wine roots – think more port than dry red wine – and that's exactly what's kept it a fixture in Danish pantries for generations.

Signature style

The taste is sweet, full-bodied and deep cherry-red: ripe, almost candied cherries, a touch of dark forest berries and an underlying almond note from the stones. The finish is soft and slightly syrupy-sweet, with just enough acidity to stop it tipping into cloying.

Facts

Producer	Danish Distillers (formerly De Danske Spritfabrikker)
Founded	1845
Pronounced	Ki-ya-fa
Region	Faaborg, Funen
Country	Denmark
Owner	Arcus Group
Ingredient	Cherries (including cherry stones)
Strength	16% ABV

Did you know?

When Jørgen Jacobsen died, the bell tower in Faaborg was gifted a full carillon in his honour – one of the more unusual legacies a Danish cherry-wine merchant has ever left behind.

Like Kijafa?

Then you might also enjoy Heering Cherry Liqueur or Viking Runes Danish Cherry Mead – two other Danish classics built around the cherry.

Kijafa Cherry Wine