How Hej Kaj Was Born: A Spirit from the Heart

First poured on October 28, 2018, at Tevsjö Destilleri, Järvsö.

A Spirit Born from Loss and Love

Hej Kaj wasn’t born out of ambition or business plans. It was born out of the most painful moment of my life — losing Kaj.

When I started creating what would become Hej Kaj, I didn’t set out to launch a brand. I wanted something meaningful — a drink that captured Kaj’s warmth, humor, and love for life. Something we could raise in his honor to celebrate the amazing person we all loved so deeply.

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The First Toast:October 28, 2018

The first Hej Kaj was created for Kaj’s celebration of life, held on October 28, 2018 — almost 30 years to the day after we first met. I chose that date intentionally, as a way to honor both the beginning and the continuing story of us.

When Jonas from Tevsjö Destilleri asked what kind of drink it should be, I didn’t think — I just said, “A Gammeldansk.”

I still don’t know why that was my instinct. Kaj enjoyed many different spirits, but that answer came straight from the heart — maybe whispered from Kaj himself.

The distillery back then was very different. Much smaller and it had a small place to gather. Jonas and Anna graciously opened their doors to us, and it felt like the place Kaj would have loved — real, heartfelt, and full of warmth and laughter.

For the celebration of his life, we shared some of Kaj’s favorite dishes — or rather, our interpretations of them. Kaj was a magician in the kitchen, but he guarded his recipes closely. Thanks to his amazing friends, his food came to life again that day, filling the room with flavors, memories, and love.

That afternoon, surrounded by friends, family, good food, and the spirit we had created, we raised our glasses and toasted to Kaj. And just like that, Hej Kaj was born.

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From Tribute to Tradition

At first, Hej Kaj was simply a one-time tribute. But over time, something unexpected happened — it grew.

What began as a deeply personal creation evolved into a small-batch Swedish spirit that others could share — a way to toast their own memories, their own journeys, and the people who make life worth celebrating.

The drink has changed since that first batch in 2018 — refined, matured, and made with new layers of craftsmanship. But the heart behind it remains exactly the same.

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To a Life That Soars

Every bottle of Hej Kaj carries the same spirit of that first toast. It’s a reminder to live fully, love deeply, and never stop celebrating.

Because when we all raised our glasses that day, we did it Kaj’s way — saying “Skål ta mig fan!”, the very first Swedish phrase he ever taught me.

That same spirit lives on in every pour of Hej Kaj — crafted with love, memory, and the belief that life, even in loss, can soar.

Skål ta mig fan! 🥂

👉 Order Hej Kaj from Systembolaget