Cordial Resource 5/10/13

Cordials/Liqueurs

Liqueurs: Also known as cordials. Distilled alcohol with added sugar and added flavors.  The flavors are commonly derived from various fruits, herbs, cream, and nuts. They are different from brandies and flavored liquors because these beverages have NO added sugar.

Flavored vodkas we carry: Svedka Citron, Svedka Raspberry, Skyy Ginger, Skyy Passionfruit

Amaro:  “Amaro” translates to “bitter” in Italian. Amaro is an umbrella category for Italian herbal liqueurs. They are commonly used as a digestif and tend to have a bitter-sweet flavor.  Amaros are usually made by macerating flowers, herbs, roots, citrus peels, etc in either wine or a neutral spirit.  Sugar syrup is then added to the mixture and the result is aged in cask or within the bottle.

            Amaros we carry

·         Montenegro

·         Milletti (used in our cocktails)

·         Amaro Nonino (lighter)

·         Cynar (made from artichokes)

·         Maria al Monte (done in the fernet style, not as bitter as branca)

·         Fernet Branca (fernetaboutit)

o   The fernet style is more bitter than the other styles

Amaro Nonino: A lighter iteration compared to other amaros. It is made from grappa infused with herbs, bitter orange, gentian, liquorice, rhubarb, saffron, among other ingredients. Amaro is lightly bitter with pronounced orange and herbal notes. 

Aperol:  Aperol is another Italian bitter used as an aperitif. Aperol is similar to Campari, it is now even produced by the same company. Aperol is lighter in color and alcohol than Campari. It also has a more mild flavor.  It is flavored with a number of different ingredients, including rhubarb and bitter orange. Aperol, as compared to Campari, is a bit sweeter and has more citrus notes.

Becherovka: A potable bitter made in the Czech republic. Potable bitters can be used in larger amounts/can be the main ingredient in a drink due to a more pleasant taste than nonpotable bitters.  Becherovka is flavored with cinnamon, and anise, along with dozens of other herbs, though the two mentioned ingredients impart the most flavor.

Benedictine: An herbal liqueur produced in France beginning in the 19^th century. The recipe is a closely guarded secret, only three people know the recipe at any given time. Benedictine is very herbal but has a bit of a caramel-like sweetness.

Calvados: An apple brandy from Normandy, France. It is distilled from cider made of specific apples from the region.

Campari: Campari is an Italian bitter characterized by its bright red color. Campari is typically consumed as an aperitif.  Campari is pretty bitter, a bit sweet, with abundant spice notes. It is used in the Americano cocktail. The cocktail was named after the few Americans who were aware of the existence of Campari.

Carpano Antica: Red vermouth coming from Italy. Made by the producers of Punt E Mes. Carpano Antica is not very sweet, it is very smooth with complex flavors of figs, cocoa, spice, and almonds.

Green Chartreuse: A liqueur produced by monks living in the Chartruese Mountains of France. It’s a distilled alcohol macerated with 130 herbs, barks, flowers, etc. Green chartreuse gets its vibrant color due to the chlorophyll from all the different herbs, etc. This liqueur is herbaceous, strong, and not very sweet. Chartreuse is unique, for its one of the few cordials that actually improves with age.  

Yellow chartreuse. Yellow chartreuse is lower in alcohol, milder, and sweeter than green chartreuse. Yellow chartreuse also has  a more pronounced anise/licorice flavor.

Fernet Branca: Fernet style Amaro from Milan, ITA. Fernet Branca is made according to a secret recipe consisting of 27 different herbs from 5 continents. Saffron is a key ingredient in Fernet Branca along with aloe, myrrh, rhubarb, and chamomile. It is considered a digestif. It is very aromatic and bitter.

Fruits Rouges: Cordial made with fruits from the Loire Valley. The fruits include black currants, strawberries, raspberries, bilberries, and blueberries.

Licor 43: A Spanish liquer made using 43 different ingredients. It is made with citrus and fruit juices and flavored with vanilla and other aromatic herbs. The bright yellow cordial has been around since Roman times. It is warm, complex, tangy, with pronounced vanilla notes.

Lillet:  An aperitif made of 85% Bordeaux wines (mainly white grapes) and 15% macerated liqueurs. The liqueurs are mainly citrus, macerated with different types of oranges. Lillet is then aged in oak casks.

Limoncello: Traditional liqueur from Southern Italy. The lemon peels from this region are infused in neutral alcohol which gives this liqueur its signature yellow color and bright taste.

Maraschino: Produced by Luxardo. It is one of the few liqueurs produced by distillation. Marasca sour cherries are used to make this cordial. These cherries are exclusively cultivated by Luxardo. Marachino is surprisingly sweet and smooth for being a distilled alcohol, but it still packs in a sharpness.

Nonpotable bitters: Herbal liquors used in very small amounts to flavor and/or garnish cocktails. Examples: Angostura, Angostura orange, Peychaud’s.

Pimms: A gin-based liqueur from England. The gin base is macerated with a secret blend of herbs. The resulting liqueur has notes of citrus and spice.

Pisco: A Peruvian brandy. Brandy is an umbrella category for distilled liquors, pisco is made from grapes.

Rhum clement Creole Shrubb: Curacao orange liqueur that is less sweet than other orange liqueurs. It is tart, tangy, full, and round. It is made with orange zest, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, and various Caribbean spices. The alcohol is aged is American and Limousin oak barrels to add complexity and texture to the liqueur. The rum is not made with molasses, rather it is made with fresh sugar cane. The sugar cane juice is made into a wine then distilled. Because it is made with sugar cane, the liqueur cannot be made year round, like more traditional rums. Clement, than man whom the liqueur is named after, developed the recipe and process for producing this liqueur after observing many different distillers in France.

St. Germain: St. Germain is the first liqueur made in the artisanal French manner. This liqueur is made using elderflowers grown in the French Alps. The flowers have a very brief growing period each year. They are also extremely delicate, that coupled with the mountainous location of the crops necessitates that the flowers be picked by hand. Once the flowers have been hand picked men deliver the flowers to the St. Germain depot by bicycle. St. Germain pairs well with a wide range of other alcohols and lends itself to making some great cocktails. The taste of St. Germain is unique: a little but floral, with notes of passionfruit and citrus.

Veev Acai: A distilled beverage made with acai berries. It is a bit sweet, a touch bitter,  and a bit tart.

Vermouth:  A fortified wine that is sweetened and flavored with various plants, herbs, roots, etc. A wine is fortified with additional alcohol, then dry ingredients (herbs, etc) are added for both flavor and aromatics, finally the whole mixture is sweetened with caramel or sugar cane. There are two main categories of vermouths: sweet and dry. Dry vermouths (aka French vermouths) tend to be pale and slightly higher in alcohol with a maximum of 5% residual sugar. Sweet vermouths (aka  Italian vermouths) are usually red, though there are a number of pale ones, with slightly less alcohol and contain up to 15% residual sugar. There are pale (white,) golden, red, and rose vermouths available today.