Before summer is officially over, I wanted to take a minute to introduce a handful of International liqueurs – call it an Olympics of Mixers if you will. Now, this may serve as a “Dream Article” for today’s Bar Mixologist, it is well suited to the home consumer as well since most of the products are readily available in local stores.
Take a look and give these liqueurs a chance during an "End of Summer Party" or carry them over to the festive events of the fall and winter.
This traditional, hand crafted liqueur is made by macerating whole sloe berries with anise for over six months at room temperature. The sloe berries come from the blackthorn shrub. Ripe sloe is dark blue, and gives this digestive drink from a ruby red color and a fruity, slightly sour and tannic flavor profile. This is a great stand alone as a before or after dinner cordial.
Some of you may know that a “Cedilla” is the hanging thing that looks like a “5” for the letter “C” to assist in pronunciation, but it is also the name of a liqueur from Brazil. This liqueur is made with Acai (known as "The berry that cries") and is essentially Cachaca (a Brazilian Sugarcane Liqueur) blended with macerated Acai berries. It is purple in color and has a fruity flavor profile with hints of spice and chocolate.
Mathilde Liqueurs – France (32 – 80 Proof)
A collection from France, this group of 100% natural liqueurs creates a fresh taste and natural flavors to top cocktails. The line includes: Mathilde Orange XO (a 200 year old recipe which combines fine brandy and orange peel both aged in oak barrels), Poire (made from a distillation of pear cider which produces the characteristics of the fresh fruit), Cassis (this black currant liqueur is soft and sweet – a perfect balance between alcohol and fruit from a long steeping period), Framboise (several varieties of raspberry – some from Scotland – are used to create a rich and complex bouquet), and Peche (two types of peaches – vine peach and white peach – are used to create a pleasant scent and a lovely soft flavor profile).
Navip “Silvovitz” 8 year – Serbia (Eastern Europe) (100 Proof)
Slivovitz is produced in Slavic regions of Central and Eastern Europe, both commercially as well as homemade. Navip is the #1 brand of Slivovitz Plum Brandy in Serbia (former Yugoslavia) and is produced from Pocegaca Plums which are matured for 8 years in oak barrels. Šljivovica (the name Slivovitz is derived from Serbian Sljivovica) is the national drink of Serbia, and plum is the national fruit. A Serbian meal usually starts or ends with plum products. Sljivovica is served as an aperitif and is recognized for its yellow-gold color and soft rounded taste, sweet, fine and rich in fruit flavors.
Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur – Italy (80 Proof)
Solerno is the world's first blood orange liqueur and is made in Sicily with garnet-red oranges known as Sanguinellos. This clear liqueur brings a great aroma of rich and sweet blood orange pulp with a tiny bit of zest. With a huge body, weighty on the tongue with silky smooth blood orange, the finish is refreshing and clean. This is a clear alternative to simple, bland Triple Sec in summer cocktails and even lends itself to winter warmers.
Praline Pecan Liqueur – USA (42 Proof)
Produced by the Sazarc Company in Kentucky, this liqueur boasts a mahogany color and aromas of dark roasted nut, burnt sugar, and musty nut oils. This New Orleans-style liqueur is perfect as an after-dinner liqueur. It is packaged in the traditions of The Big Easy which dates back to when the French first brought the candy to the Crescent City in the 18th Century. Pralines remain today the essential confection identified with the city.
Now, how many of these have you tried and who makes it to the medal round?
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