Estonian rum-vanilla-citrus liqueur, served neat as a dessert pour or stirred into coffee at the end of dinner. Recipe from 1960, drunk year-round.

Vana Tallinn (Old Tallinn) was created in 1960 by Estonian distiller Liviko in central Tallinn, with industrial production from 1962, combining Jamaican rum with Estonian vanilla, citrus oils and warm spices. The dark amber liqueur quickly became the country's signature dessert pour and a Soviet-era export across the Eastern Bloc. Today it remains the standard end-of-dinner spirit in Tallinn restaurants and the Christmas Market on Town Hall Square sells gluhwine versions through December.

Where to eat Vana Tallinn in Tallinn

3 editor picks for Vana Tallinn in Tallinn, ranked by editorial score. All Tallinn signature dishes · Vana Tallinn across every city.

  • Olde Hansa

    Order The Grand Chef's Feast tasting; the kitchen runs an entirely candle-lit, electricity-free dining service.

    Olde Hansa on Vana turg in the Old Town is a long-running Hanseatic-feast restaurant with medieval costumes, live hurdy-gurdy music and a 14th-century menu.

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  • Maiasmokk

    Order Hot chocolate and a piece of hand-painted marzipan; the kringel sweet bread is the everyday order.

    Maiasmokk on Pikk has been Tallinn's confectionery cafe since 1864, the oldest continuously operating cafe in Estonia with a marzipan-painting room daily.

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  • Tchaikovsky

    Order The tasting menu paired with Champagne from the long list.

    Tchaikovsky sits inside the five-star Hotel Telegraaf on Vene in the Old Town,a Michelin-listed room run by executive chef Denis Golik with French technique.

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Make it at home

Serves 750720 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 500ml dark Jamaican rum
  • 250ml vodka
  • 200g brown sugar
  • 2 vanilla pods, split
  • Zest of 2 oranges
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 5 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 cardamom pods, crushed

Method

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a large clean jar with a tight lid.
  2. Shake well to dissolve the sugar.
  3. Store in a dark cupboard for 30 days, shaking occasionally.
  4. Strain through a fine sieve and a coffee filter into a clean bottle.
  5. Serve neat after dinner or stir a tablespoon into hot coffee for an Estonian winter warmer.

Editor tip. Use a Jamaican-style dark rum with molasses notes; the warm spices need a rich base spirit.