Years ago, my friend's parents were cleaning out their liquor cabinet and gave me the above -- Ermita Ron Escarchado (translated to Ermita Frosty Rum). Holy crap, this stuff is good.
Ecarchado is liqueur enriched with sugar by putting an aniseed branch inside. Sugar than pulls itself out of the liqueur and crystallizes around the sprig and the base of the bottle, which ends up creating a thicker, more sugary liqueur. In the words of my friend, the rum becomes "viscous sh*t." (In the good way.)
The two main types of escarchado, after searching the web, seem to be the ron/rum variety and the anisette variety, although I've also seen brandy listed occasionally. It's not the easiest thing to find (if anyone finds it in Canada, please let me know), but can be scored in the states through sites like this, and much more readily in Europe.
Cherries Jublie is one of those foods that I've heard of but never had, like Baked Alaska or Pig's Feet or Mutton. Is Cherries Jubilee something that you set on fire, or is it the name of a stripper from some movie or TV show I once saw?
Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur is 35.5% abv. / 71 proof and is made with honey and Wild Turkey bourbon. The color is a medium to dark gold. I am not a fan of most of the Wild Turkey products, but was intrigued by this bourbon and honey liqueur. So when I saw it on sale really cheap at the New Hampshire State liquor store I said "what the heck" and picked up a bottle.
The aroma is slightly sharp and sour/sweet and tangy. You can sense the presence of bourbon under some very strange top notes that are camphor like, and salty, and of hot and volatile machine oils. The more I tried to smell the liqueur, the less I smelled anything, until my nose went numb. Then I had a difficult time discerning the aroma at all. I never had my nose go blind before and I wasn't sure I actually wanted to taste it, but I got up my nerve and proceeded on.
The taste was a lot like the aroma, and not very pleasant at all. I kept taking sips trying to find something to like in this liqueur, but could find nothing to like at all. My tongue got as numb as my nose had earlier, and although I am a glutton for punishment I finally had enough of this and poured out the rest of the glass. I don't believe that I actually paid for this stuff. I'd give it away but that would be mean. I rarely write about bad things and prefer to think that I like to make recommendations for products that I like or that sound interesting, but I felt I had to warn other unsuspecting folks about this stuff. When I try to put my thoughts on this into one word, what comes to mind is VILE.
J Winery Pear Liqueur is 30% abv. / 60 proof. When I was researching this liqueur I found out an interesting story about how it came about. In 1995 the present day Cellar Master of J Winery, Tom Meeker, was playing around with fermenting pears, on the grounds that would later become J Winery and Vineyard. This pear juice was slowly fermented to full dryness and then twice distilled in a copper alembic still, to produce a pear brandy that was 50% abv. / 100 proof. The pear brandy was then laid down in French Limousin oak barrels for ten years to age and was basically forgotten about. Then a couple of years ago J Winery's Winemaker, Oded Shakked, purchased the distilled pear brandy for the company J Wine to use. It was then blended with de-ionized (rain) water and liquid sugar to make the liqueur. The liqueur was then cold stabilized and aged for six more months before bottling earlier this year.
Before I tell you anything more about this liqueur I am going to tell you a story. I make my own liqueurs as a hobby and four years ago I was hired to work as the hard cider maker for an award winning cider company and orchard. While there, I learned that pears don't ripen fully until they have been chilled almost to freezing. So pears left on the tree will just keep making sugar but have no nice flavor, until they are picked and chilled. But if picked and chilled; they ripen, soften, and develop their full flavor. Rarely a frost comes about and chills the fruit before they have a chance to be picked. In this case, if the pears aren't harvested immediately, and sold right away, you end up with a load of rotten fruit.
Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur of the Alps is 35% abv. / 70 proof. It is made in Austria from Arolla Stone Pine fruit from the fresh, young, (not dried out) pine cone. The liqueur is an all natural, limited production, artisinal spirit with seasonal variations for each year. The bottles are numbered and soon online production notes will be available for each batch so you can find out all the details and particulars about the bottle you hold in your hand. My bottle is # 12-06-A04-685.
The body is light with a beautiful, medium red / amber brown color. The aroma is a luscious pine with floral, fruit, and spicy notes. There are hints of sweet, mild turpentine as well. The taste is of strong, floral pine, like chewing on the delicate young spring fronds at the end of a branch. Sweet, hot and cool at the same time, floral and spice flavors peek through here and there leading to a long and complex finish. While traditionally it is sipped from an eau-de-vie glass or snifter, I found it almost overwhelming to sip it straight. On ice it is mellowed quite a bit and you can really appreciate what is going on in the glass. This liqueur might not be for everyone. It is strong and unusual tasting, completely unique, and not for the faint of heart.
St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur is 20% abv. / 40 proof artisinal French liqueur that is available in limited quantities. It is a very light pale gold color and a medium light body. The aroma is primarily flowers and fruit, think of pears and lychee, and is lightly sweet and tart on the nose. The taste is like the aroma, very floral plus lychee's and pears, with maybe the slightest hint of citrus. It has a refreshing tartness up front, a mild sweetness in the middle, with a long finish of the two combined. The taste and smell stays with you for quite a while, filling you mouth and nose with its luscious fruit and flowers.
St. Germain is an absolutely delightful liqueur and since it isn't too sweet I find that even people who dislike most sweet liqueurs enjoy it very much. While it is an elegant liqueur for sipping straight or on crushed ice for a post meal libation, it also is fabulous in cocktails.
The elderflower has been used for medicinal purposes for ages and so it has also been available in syrup form for quite a long time. Many bartenders have also used it in various cocktails, but St. Germain is the first elderflower liqueur / spirit. Released in the US early last year, it is created from fresh picked elderflowers which are macerated / infused in eau de vie and/or distilled (the process is secret, of course), plus small amounts of citrus, and sweetened just a little.
Not long ago I wrote about Perique Liqueur de Tabac, a new liqueur that was just released. It is a very rare liqueur with only extremely limited quantities available. As of now you can only get it from the distributors in the UK by mail order. Jade Liqueurs creates and distributes only small amounts of very fine, small batch, hand made liqueurs and spirits; so don't expect it to become more available in the future. A 500ml bottle costs £22, this comes to approximately US$45, but with shipping and handling the total is closer to US$95. I was lucky enough to receive a bottle as a gift not long ago, and I was thrilled to crack it open and try it.
Perique Liqueur de Tabac is a 31% abv. / 62 proof liqueur made for Jade Liqueurs by Distillerie Combier in France from Eau de vie de vin, distillation of Perique tobacco, and is sweetened with sugar. It has no other ingredients and is one of the most unusual, and lovely tasting liqueurs I have had the pleasure to experience. It is elegant, refined, but with a masculine touch.
I am not a big fan of creamy things, including cream-based soups and cream-based drinks and desserts. That means that while I like the flavor of Bailey's, I just can't drink very much of it at one time. When I got a bottle of the new Bailey's with a hint of Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur, I loved the flavor (more than Jonathan did) and began to come up with recipes that would show it off. I settled on baking a batch of cookies, though the liqueur would do well in a cake, too.
To play up the caramel flavor, I used brown sugar in the cookies and stirred in a combination of white chocolate and butterscotch chips. The overall flavor from the liqueur was subtle, but noticeable, and the mix of sugar, chips and Bailey's was a winning combination. The cookies are on the softer/chewier side, so the chips actually stand out as adding a slightly firmer texture to the treat.
If Bailey's isn't your thing, or if you can't find the caramel, not to worry. I included some variations after the recipe:
Perique Liqueur de Tabac, 31% abv / 62 proof for MSR £22.00. The press release says "Following many months of development, Jade Liqueurs finally releases its much anticipated tobacco liqueur, Perique... The unique terroir of the Mississippi River gives Perique the intense spices and aromas that contribute to the delicate balance of this fine liqueur. Perique (liqueur) is entirely artisanal in its construction, and captures the nuances of this ancient tobacco. Perique is best enjoyed in the same manner as one would a fine liqueur or brandy. Due to the difficulty in procuring this rare tobacco, Perique liqueur is available only in limited quantity."
I am very curious about this liqueur, first because it's a unique liqueur, and you know how I love those, and secondly because it's made with Perique tobacco.
Entries have closed in the Drinkable Desserts contest that Bailey's is running to promote their new flavors of the creamy liqueur. Unfortunately, this means that you no longer have the chance to submit your own concoction to be featured in an upcoming issue of Gourmet magazine, but looking to the positive side of things, you still get to try the drinks and have a say in what recipe wins the contest. Between now and January 31st, a selection of different drink recipes will be featured each week. Readers can try out the recipes and vote for their favorites in both the professional and amateur categories. A total of ten finalists will be selected and the overall winners will be selected based on the number of votes (in the amateur category) or by a panel of pros (in the professional category).
Read on to get a taste of one of the drinks, The Baileys® Vanilla Bean:
Redcliff American Liqueur was intended to be the "signature liqueur" of America, the US answer to Irish Baileys, Italian Amaretto, and German's Jagermeister. It is cola flavored, with a "combination of 15 secret ingredients" that include "cinnamon, lime, eight-year-old Virgin Islands rum, vermouth, vodka, bourbon bean vanilla, anise and hazelnut."
The former Seagram executive, Frank Arcella, came up with the idea and chose cola as a flavor that was representative of the US. The spirit can be taken in shots or sipped over ice, as well as used cocktails and mixed drinks, including martinis and (of course) rum and coke.
If you're wondering why you haven't heard of Redcliff, it's because it isn't very popular. New liqueurs have traditionally been slow to catch on in the US, but this one doesn't sound that good, so it's not surprising that it hasn't been a hit with consumers yet. The biggest problem is that it is reported to have a strong "lingering aftertaste" that can't be hidden with other mixers and really puts people off.
Rhum Clément Creole Shrubb liqueur is 40%abv. / 80 proof. It is a Curacao orange liqueur produced and estate bottled at Habitation Clément in Martinique, and it has only recently become available in the US.
It has a medium light body to it and is a light orange gold in color. The aroma is an intoxicating blend of Curacao orange peels and musky Rhum Agricole, with a touch of exotic tropical spices.
The taste is much less sweet than similar orange liqueurs and very smooth on your tongue. It has a deliciously sharp and slightly bitter orange zest flavor that wakes up your palate immediately. I find that there is a complex, and quite different orange flavor than I have experienced with other orange liqueurs. It is tart and tangy, as well as full and round. The bitter orange is balanced nicely with the sweetness from pure, freshly crushed, sugar cane syrup and a sprinkle of Caribbean spices. The whole liqueur is carried on a solid base of fine, dry, wood aged rum. It has an extraordinarily long finish, rich with the essence of orange, rum, wood tannins, and just the barest hint of spice that lasts and lasts.
Creole Shrubb is one of the most enjoyable liqueurs I have ever experienced. I hope you get the chance to as well.
In 1971 a team of product developers set out to create a uniquely Irish drink combining Irish cream and whiskey, aimed at the US market and American tastes. Baileys was eventually released in 1974. As of 2003 it was the highest selling liqueur brand in the world. Baileys claims it is the first of the cream liqueurs, and while this is debatable, it is the first of the Irish Cream liqueurs. It became very popular and was soon followed by many other Irish, French, Scottish, rum, tequila, and a slew of other cream liqueurs. Baileys Irish Cream Original- 17%abv / 34 proof and is very thick and creamy in body. The flavor has a very sweet, thick, vanilla, buttery toffee, whipped cream, malt, hints of coffee and chocolate, egg taste; and leaves a slippery beaten eggy coating on my tongue. It's not bad, but not great.
Cointreau Liqueur is 40%abv / 80 proof and comes in a square glass bottle. This perfectly clear spirit is of the Triple Sec style of orange liqueurs. It has a very light and clean body with an aroma that is very simple to describe. Just clean and sharp oranges with alcohol. The flavor is not very sweet for a liqueur, just the very refined, mild, and clean taste of sweet and bitter orange zest, nothing more. The perfect triple sec for when all you want is the essence of oranges. The taste has a very long and surprising finish that stays on your tongue for ages, and actually seems to get sweeter and more complex over several minutes.
Cointreau Liqueur is one of those liqueurs that's drunk as an aperitif, a digestif, and for making fine cocktails. It is actually to strong to sip straight and is better on the rocks or with soda or a mixer. It goes very well with almost any juice, especially fresh squeezed and when paired with fresh citrus juice it really amps up the flavors tremendously.
Chambord Liqueur is a raspberry based liqueur with 16.5%abv / 33 proof. It is made from an over 320 year old recipe dating back to 1685 when Louis XIV visited Château de Chambord in the Chambord region of France and supposedly was one of his favorites, among that of other nobility who had the good taste to enjoy it as well. From what I can gather during much research it contains framboise noires (small black raspberries), red raspberries, blackberries, currants, herbs and spices, (including cinnamon and cloves) steeped in cognac, and sweetened with Acacia honey.
Chambord comes in a perfectly round bottle with just enough of a flat base for it to stay upright, and has a golden belt around its waist saying "Chambord Liqueur Royale. Then it has and two golden epaulets rising from the belt to a golden collar around its neck, all decorated with filigree, and finally it is capped with a golden crown. The shape is based on the orb topped with a cross from medieval times called the Globus cruciger to show its royal nature and connections.
Cherries Jublie is one of those foods that I've heard of but never had, like Baked Alaska or Pig's Feet or Mutton. Is Cherries Jubilee something that you set on fire, or is it the name of a stripper from some movie or TV show I once saw?
Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur is 35.5% abv. / 71 proof and is made with honey and Wild Turkey bourbon. The color is a medium to dark gold. I am not a fan of most of the Wild Turkey products, but was intrigued by this bourbon and honey liqueur. So when I saw it on sale really cheap at the New Hampshire State liquor store I said "what the heck" and picked up a bottle.
J Winery Pear Liqueur is 30% abv. / 60 proof. When I was researching this liqueur I found out an interesting story about how it came about. In 1995 the present day Cellar Master of J Winery, Tom Meeker, was playing around with fermenting pears, on the grounds that would later become J Winery and Vineyard. This pear juice was slowly fermented to full dryness and then twice distilled in a copper alembic still, to produce a pear brandy that was 50% abv. / 100 proof. The pear brandy was then laid down in French Limousin oak barrels for ten years to age and was basically forgotten about. Then a couple of years ago J Winery's Winemaker, Oded Shakked, purchased the distilled pear brandy for the company J Wine to use. It was then blended with de-ionized (rain) water and liquid sugar to make the liqueur. The liqueur was then cold stabilized and aged for six more months before bottling earlier this year.
Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur of the Alps
St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur is 20% abv. / 40 proof artisinal French liqueur that is available in limited quantities. It is a very light pale gold color and a medium light body. The aroma is primarily flowers and fruit, think of pears and lychee, and is lightly sweet and tart on the nose. The taste is like the aroma, very floral plus lychee's and pears, with maybe the slightest hint of citrus. It has a refreshing tartness up front, a mild sweetness in the middle, with a long finish of the two combined. The taste and smell stays with you for quite a while, filling you mouth and nose with its luscious fruit and flowers. 
Not long ago I wrote about 
The 
Entries have closed in 
Redcliff American Liqueur
Rhum Clément Creole Shrubb liqueur is 40%abv. / 80 proof. It is a Curacao orange liqueur produced and estate bottled at Habitation Clément in Martinique, and it has only recently become available in the US. 
In 1971 a team of product developers set out to create a uniquely Irish drink combining Irish cream and whiskey, aimed at the US market and American tastes. Baileys was eventually released in 1974. As of 2003 it was the highest selling liqueur brand in the world. Baileys claims it is the first of the cream liqueurs, and while this is debatable, it is the first of the Irish Cream liqueurs. It became very popular and was soon followed by many other Irish, French, Scottish, rum, tequila, and a slew of other cream liqueurs.
Cointreau Liqueur is 40%abv / 80 proof and comes in a square glass bottle. This perfectly clear spirit is of the Triple Sec style of orange liqueurs. It has a very light and clean body with an aroma that is very simple to describe. Just clean and sharp oranges with alcohol. The flavor is not very sweet for a liqueur, just the very refined, mild, and clean taste of sweet and bitter orange zest, nothing more. The perfect triple sec for when all you want is the essence of oranges. The taste has a very long and surprising finish that stays on your tongue for ages, and actually seems to get sweeter and more complex over several minutes.
Chambord Liqueur is a raspberry based liqueur with 16.5%abv / 33 proof. It is made from an over 320 year old recipe dating back to 1685 when Louis XIV visited Château de Chambord in the Chambord region of France and supposedly was one of his favorites, among that of other nobility who had the good taste to enjoy it as well. From what I can gather during much research it contains framboise noires (small black raspberries), red raspberries, blackberries, currants, herbs and spices, (including cinnamon and cloves) steeped in cognac, and sweetened with Acacia honey. 
Cakes so amazing they'd be hard to cut into
Fruit juice: An invitation to diabetes?
Morbid thoughts? Have a cookie
