Brennivín (BRECH-nih-veen)(see also Brännvin) is an Icelandic schnapps, considered the country's signature alcoholic beverage. It is made from fermented potato pulp, and flavoured with caraway seeds. It is sometimes called svarti dauði ("black death"). At times it is drunk as a "chaser" after sampling "hákarl", which consists of putrefied shark meat, to mask the meat's taste. The word brennivín literally translates into English as 'burning wine', and comes from the same root as brandy, namely brandewijn which has its roots in the Dutch language (also compare German Branntwein).