THE TEAM
MEET ALEKSANDER GRANDE
Aleksander is the CEO, Founder and Master Blender at Geiranger Brenneri. He holds a spirits sommelier diploma (2022) and has over a decade of bartending and hospitality experience. At the distillery he leads product development, blending and quality assurance, and is one of our main hosts for tastings and tours.
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In addition to his work at the distillery, Aleksander is the hotel manager at Grande Fjord Hotel, where he represents the fourth generation of the family hotel.
MEET LOUISE TAFJORD
Louise is the Co-Founder and CMO at Geiranger Brenneri. She has nearly a decade of experience in hospitality and bartending, combined with a degree in economics. At the distillery she works hands-on with production and is one of our main hosts for tastings and guest experiences.
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In addition to her operational role, Louise is responsible for the distillery’s web presence, marketing and brand identity, ensuring that the stories behind our spirits – and the look and feel of Geiranger Brenneri – are consistent across every channel and touchpoint.
OUR STORY
Geiranger Brenneri began as an idea back in 2018, when CEO and Founder Aleksander met the founder of Det Norske Brenneri (The Norwegian Distillery), Odd Johan Nelvik, at the Stranda Stout & Porter Festival. After sampling a few of their spirits, Aleksander floated the idea of creating a “Geiranger gin” based on locally harvested botanicals. The idea caught Odd’s interest, and the two stayed in touch over the next few years – but with busy lives and full schedules, the project was temporarily put on hold.
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During the COVID years, when much of the world came to a standstill, the seed planted in 2018 began to grow. The concept of a single gin evolved into the vision of a full distillery, as part of Grande Fjord Hotel’s expansion plans. In 2022, Geiranger Brenneri was officially founded, and together with Det Norske Brenneri, Aleksander and Louise developed their first product. Both travelled to Grimstad to learn more about distillation and to take part in the production, while the spirits were temporarily distilled and bottled at Det Norske Brenneri’s facilities.
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The distillery eventually found its permanent home on the ground floor of the new extension at Grande Fjord Hotel. In 2024, Geiranger Brenneri could finally begin producing its own distillates on site in Geiranger.
Today, in 2025, the distillery has become a popular destination for visitors, offering guided tours, tastings and a behind-the-scenes look at Norwegian craft spirits. Every bottle is a testament to our commitment to quality, craftsmanship and the natural beauty of Geiranger and Western Norway.
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Cheers to adventure, tradition – and the spirit of Geiranger.
