First in Aalborg: Renowned gin enthusiast opens gin bar

If you (like many) believe there’s nothing better than a cold Gin & Tonic, we have some excellent news for you.

Soon, a brand new gin bar will be opening in the city center under the name Sylvius.

Behind this new gin bar stands none other than Aalborg’s Mr. Gin himself, Oliver Bruun, who, amusingly enough, is also the force behind Mrgin.dk, offering Denmark’s largest selection of gin.

Oliver Bruun is also the mastermind behind the immensely popular Gin & Tonic Cruises, which now take place in Aalborg, Copenhagen, Silkeborg, and Aarhus.

Now, the anchor has been cast at number 59 Algade, where Sylvius will open its doors in the legendary premises formerly occupied by Café Holle.

Named after a special individual

For Oliver, his deep fascination with gin began around the same time as the surge of sourdough popularity, namely during the pandemic.

Since then, his business has flourished, and throughout the process, Oliver has jotted down various ideas on his phone, some of which were discarded, while others were brought to life.

For the gin bar, the latter held true.

“I’ve been contemplating for a while that it made sense for me to create a physical gin bar. Even though it has a different name and is an independent entity, I can still leverage synergies across,” he explains.

For enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike Sylvius will boast a selection of between 50 and 100 different gin bottles, but as a guest, you essentially just need to know whether you prefer sour, sweet, or something in between.

“We plan to create a menu with 20 different gin and tonics that I’ve curated. This way, you don’t need to be a gin expert; you just need to know your preferred flavor profile,” he explains.

In addition to the classic (and not-so-classic) gin and tonics, Oliver will also offer various signature cocktails and a small selection of beer and wine.

Delicious cocktails in cozy surroundings

The premises, which until the end of 2023 housed a café, were renovated a short while ago and are nearly ready for occupancy.

“So far, we’ve painted one wall, and of course, there’s cleaning to be done. Then comes the fun part of setting up tables to get an idea of how many people we can accommodate and what layout works best,” he says as he gives us a tour of the intimate premises.

He expects there will be space for 25-30 people, with additional seating available in the cozy courtyard during the summer months, as well as on the sidewalk in front of the facade.

Expected to open in May

For Oliver, it was crucial that both a wine bar and a restaurant recently took over premises in the same street – Nørgaard på Hjørnet and Restaurant Hjemve.

“I was a bit curious about what would happen because if the neighboring space also became a bar, I might have chosen a different location,” he says with a laugh.

But it was here that Oliver’s gin adventure would continue.

He expects the bar to open sometime in May, depending on various approvals from the police and municipality.

“We will definitely be open from Thursday to Saturday, and then we’ll see about demand from there,” Oliver concludes.

You can already visit Sylvius’ website here.