Indulgences

1. Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins

   Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins (the state alcohol monopoly)

   Usage

   The only place in the Faroe Islands to buy spirits, wine or strong beer; everyone calls it simply Rúsan. The 1992 alcohol act permitted retail sale of alcohol in the islands for the first time, and the first shop opened in Tórshavn (Hoyvíksvegur 51) on 2 November 1992. The age limit is 18. There are only eight branches — Tórshavn, Norðskáli, Saltangará, Klaksvík, Miðvágur, Sandur, Øravíkarlíð and Vestmanna — and they are closed on Sundays

   Grammar Note

   Literally "the country's alcohol sales"; Landsins is the definite genitive of land

2. rúsdrekka

   Alcohol, liquor

   Usage

   The general term for alcoholic drink, and the word used in law and on signage. If you see it on a shop front, that shop is the Rúsan; ordinary supermarkets and kiosks stock only weak beer

   Grammar Note

   Neuter, genitive also rúsdrekka, no plural

3. brennivín

   Brennivín (spirits, over 21% ABV)

   Usage

   The general term for spirits. It is rúsdrekka containing more than about 21% alcohol by volume, covering vodka, akvavit and whisky. It cannot be bought in ordinary shops — only at the Rúsan (Rúsdrekkasøla Landsins). Note that unlike Icelandic Brennivín, which is one specific caraway schnapps brand, the Faroese word is a general category

   Grammar Note

   Literally "burnt wine", formed like Danish brændevin and Middle Low German bernewin

4. snapsur

   Snapsur (schnapps)

   Usage

   Spirits drunk from a small glass alongside a meal. Like all spirits it can only be bought at the Rúsan. The toast is Skál!

   Grammar Note

   Masculine, genitive snaps, plural snapsar

5. Havið

   Havið (Faroese akvavit, 50% ABV)

   Usage

   An akvavit from the Faroese producer Dism, founded in 2008; the name means "the sea". Dism also makes Lívsins vatn (akvavit), Baraldur (gin) and Eldvatn (vodka), and all four won medals at the 2014 World-Spirits Awards. Faroese law at the time did not permit distilling spirits in the islands, so Faroese spring water was shipped to a neighbouring country to be distilled and the finished product sold back through the Rúsan. It is sold only at the Rúsan

   Grammar Note

   hav (sea) plus the suffixed neuter definite article -ið, "the sea". Faroese marks definiteness with a noun suffix

6. tubbak

   Tobacco

   Usage

   The general word for tobacco. Note the spelling differs from Danish tobak — Faroese is tubbak — so do not carry the Danish form over

   Grammar Note

   Neuter, genitive tubbaks, no plural

7. sigar

   Cigar

   Usage

   A cigar; the plural is sigarir

   Grammar Note

   Masculine, genitive sigarar, plural sigarir

8. sjokuláta

   Chocolate

   Usage

   Chocolate. The spelling is the Faroese one, sjokuláta — not Danish chokolade or English chocolate

   Grammar Note

   Feminine, genitive sjokulátu, no plural

9. mjólkarsjokuláta

   Milk chocolate

   Usage

   Milk chocolate — the label to look for when picking a bar at a kiosk

   Grammar Note

   Feminine, genitive mjólkarsjokulátu, no plural

10. keks

    Biscuit, cookie

    Usage

    A biscuit, the standard accompaniment to coffee

    Grammar Note

    Feminine, genitive keksar, plural keksir

11. piparnøt

    Piparnøt (spiced Christmas biscuit, pfeffernuss)

    Usage

    A small spiced biscuit with cinnamon and ginger, made at Christmas. The name literally means "pepper nut"

    Grammar Note

    Feminine, genitive piparnøtar, plural piparnøtir

12. ísur

    Ice cream

    Usage

    Ice cream. The same word also means ice; to ask for a drink without ice, use uttan ís

    Grammar Note

    Masculine, genitive ís, plural ísar; uncountable in the sense of "ice"

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