aperitifs/liqueurs Flashcards
What is Aperol and what cocktails is it used in?
Aperol is the perfect aperitif. Bright orange in colour, it has a unique taste, thanks to the secret recipe, which has never been changed, with infusions of selected ingredients including bitter and sweet oranges and many other herbs (including rhubarb) and roots in perfect proportions. It originated from Padua, Italy, in 1919.
Famous cocktail: Aperol Spritz –Aperol, Prosecco, club soda, sliced orange wedge and ice.
What is Campari and what cocktails is it used in?
Campari is a bitter Italian aperitif. It is a proprietary blend of herbs and spices, is a brilliant red color, and has an extremely unique flavor which may take some getting used to. The ‘secret’ recipe was originally developed in 1860 by Gaspare Campari in the town of Novara, Italy near Milan. Campari was fond of experimenting with new beverages and the development of this particular bitter played an integral role in changing the custom of drinking digestifs after a meal into a pre-meal custom.
Popular cocktails that it is used in:
-Negroni: Campari, gin, sweet vermouth and an orange slice.
-Americano: Campari, sweet vermouth, club soda and lemon or orange slice.
- Boulevardier: Campari, Bourbon and sweet vermouth
What is Dubonnet and what cocktails is it used in?
From its origins with the French Foreign Legion to the legions of modern mixologists still using it today, Dubonnet Rouge Aperitif Wine has been a staple on the cocktail landscape since its introduction in 1846. Created by Parisian chemist / wine merchant Joseph Dubonnet as a means to make quinine more palatable for the soldiers battling malaria in North Africa, Dubonnet’s mix of fortified wine, a proprietary blend of herbs, spices and peels, and the medicinal quinine is a recipe that has earned it legendary status in the world of sophisticated drinks.
Famous cocktails that it is found in:
-Dubonnet Cocktail (or “Zaza”): gin, Dubonnet rouge and a lemon twist.
- Riviera: Dubonnet, Grand Marnier and blood orange juice.
What is Lillet and what cocktails is it used in?
A French aperitif wine. It is a blend of 85% Bordeaux wines (Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle for the Blanc; Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for the Rouge) and 15% macerated liqueurs, mostly citrus liqueurs from the peels of sweet oranges from Spain and Morocco and the peels of bitter green oranges from Haiti. Lillet belongs in a family of aperitif known as tonic wines because of the addition of a liqueur of Chinchona bark from Peru which contains quinine. Lillet is matured in oak casks. While it has been produced since the late 19th century, the current formulation dates from 1986. The formulation was changed only to lower the sugar content; the level of quinine has remained roughly the same.
Famous cocktails that it is found in:
-Vesper: Dry Gin, Lillet and Vodka.
- Corpse Reviver 2: gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, fresh lemon juice, and a dash of absinthe.
What is Southern Comfort and what cocktails is it found in?
Southern Comfort is a peach flavored bourbon liqueur. It is a traditional american spirit made from an infusion of peach and other flavorings (such as citrus and orange) into a bourbon base. It is available as both 100 proof (50 percent alcohol) and 76 proof (38 percent alcohol). Although nowadays produced in St. Louis, Missouri, the history and secret formula of Southern Comfort stretches back to 1874 where a M.W. Heron created it in his bar in New Orleans.
Famous cocktails that it is found in:
- Alabama Slammer: amaretto almond liqueur, Southern Comfort, sloe gin, orange juice, and a splash of sweet and sour mix
- Scarlett O’Hara: Southern Comfort, cranberry juice and lime wedge.
What is Drambuie and what cocktails is it found in?
Drambuie is a sweet, gold colored liqueur with a Scotch whisky base that is accented with the flavors of Scottish heather honey, herbs, and spices. The whisky is a blend of malts from the Speyside and Highland regions of Scotland.
The story of Drambuie dates back to around 1745 when Prince Charles Edward Stewart reportedly passed on the ‘secret’ formula for his personal elixir when fleeing Scotland after the Battle of Culloden. The legend says that the recipient of the recipe was Stewart’s trusted Captain John MacKinnon and that it remained on the Isle of Skye. In the late 19th century, Clan MacKinnon passed the recipe on to James Ross who improved it and sold the revised liqueur at the Broadford Hotel on Skye. Upon Ross’ death his widow sold the recipe to another MacKinnon family and the first commercial production of Drambuie began in Edinburgh in 1910.
The name ‘Drambuie’ derives (most likely) from the Scottish Gaelic an dram buidheach, which means “the drink that satisfies.”
Famous cocktails it is found in:
- Rusty Nail: Scotch, Drambuie and lemon twist
- Highland Margarita: blanco tequila, Grand Marnier or triple sec, Drambuie, lime juice and wedge
40% alc
What is Benedictine and cocktails is it found in?
Made of herbs, roots and sugar with a Cognac base. Originally used to revive tired Benedictine monks beginning in 1510, the term D.O.M. found on the label stands for Deo Optimo Maximo which translates to “to God, most good, most great” reminds us of the liqueur’s origins.
Benedictine liqueur has a distinctive aroma of spices and citrus fruit, offering notes of crisp freshness, softened by a touch of honey, a truly unforgettable taste awakening all your senses. Its saffron amber colour betrays its far-flung origins. Its extremely rich texture will line your palate with an incomparable sensation of mellowness.
Benedictine is a subtle blend of twenty seven plants and spices selected by the Master Herbalist.
The making of Benedictine takes two years and requires all the skill and know-how of the Master Distiller. He safeguards the secrets of the slow preparation of this liqueur. The full extent of his experience and skill is required to bring each of the stages in the process to perfection and to bring this exquisite alchemy to life.
Distilled and aged in a flamboyant palace, built in Fecamp in tribute to this unique liqueur, Benedictine is a subtle alchemy of 27 different plants and spices.
Famous cocktails it is found in:
- Vieux Carre: rye whiskey, Cognac, sweet vermouth, Peychaud’s and Angostura aromatic bitters, Benedictine, and a lemon twist.
- Derby Cocktail: bourbon, Benedictine liqueur, dash of Angostura Bitters and a lemon twist.
What is Galliano and what cocktails is it found in?
Galliano is a sweet herbal liqueur created in 1896 by Italian distiller and brandy producer Arturo Vaccari of Livorno, Tuscany. Vaccari named the spirit after Giuseppe Galliano, an Italian hero of the First Italo–Ethiopian War at the end of the 19th century.
Famous cocktails:
- Harvey Wallbanger: vodka, orange juice, Galliano, orange slice and maraschino cherry for garnish.
- Golden Dream: cream, orange juice, Cointreau and Galliano
What is Grand Marnier and what cocktails is it found in?
Grand Marnier is a triple sec liqueur invented in 1880 and still produced by the same family in Cognac, France. The company boasts that it is the most exported liqueur in France, as well as being the first liqueur exported from that country. It is sold in over 150 countries and used in a wide range of drinks and desserts.
Triple secs are liqueurs that are distilled, and then have orange peel left in them to macerate and flavor the alcohol. The first triple sec, Cointreau, was created in France in 1849, and a number of imitators followed. Without a doubt, the most popular of these was Grand Marnier, created by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle some 30 years later. Oranges at the time were a rare and exotic fruit, and by blending them with high-quality brandies, Marnier-Lapostolle was able to create an enduring legacy.
Famous cocktails:
- Cosmopolitan: Grand Marnier, vodka, cranberry juice and a dash of lime.
- Red Loin: Grand Marnier, gin, orange and lemon juice.
- Margarita: Grand Marnier, tequila and lime juice
What is Amaretto and what cocktails is it found in?
Amaretto is a liqueur with an almond flavor, but surprisingly, it may or may not contain almonds. The standard base of the liqueur is primarily made from apricot pits, and may contain any number of added spices and flavorings. The original version was made in Saronno, Italy. Amaretto is Italian for “a little bitter.”
The Lazzaroni family of Saronno, Italy, claims the title as the inventors of amaretto. They invented the Lazzaroni amaretto cookies around 1786 for the King of the region. Then in 1851, they created the Amaretto Liqueur, which consisted of an infusion of their cookies with a little caramel for color.
Famous cocktails:
- Godfather: Amaretto and Scotch
- Godmother: Amaretto and vodka
- Alabama Slammer: amaretto almond liqueur, Southern Comfort, sloe gin, orange juice, and a splash of sweet and sour mix.
What is Chartreuse and what cocktails is it found in?
Chartreuse is an herbal liqueur produced by Carthusian monks in the French Alps. With almost 400 years of history, Chartreuse is one of the oldest and most mysterious spirits still available. Only three monks from the order know the secret recipe, each hold one third of that recipe and all have taken a vow of silence, so the secret recipe is kept safely. The liqueur was originally created as an “Elixir of Long Life” in 1605 by Peres Chartreux. The formula was perfected over the years and by 1737 the liqueur was released to the world in a form that is close to what we drink today.
hartreuse is made by macerating the select herbs with a neutral alcohol spirit which is then distilled and aged for five years in oak vats (the only liqueur to do so). There are two varieties of Chartreuse produced: green and yellow.
Chartreuse Green is used more often than the yellow version. It is made from 130 herbs, plants and flowers found in the French Alps. It is 110 proof and has an intense floral and herbal flavor with hints of cloves, citrus, thyme, rosemary and cinnamon.
Chartreuse Yellow is also made from 130 herbs, plants and flowers. The difference between the green and yellow varieties is determined by the herbs used, although the process for distilling both is the same. Chartreuse Yellow is only 86 proof and has a distinct citrus, violet and honey taste accented by anise, licorice and saffron.
Both Yellow and Green Chartreuse can be found in a bottling known as V.E.P. (Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolonge), essentially the same liqueur that is aged for a longer period of time. These luxury liqueurs have an exceptional flavor similar to their younger counterparts, but are markedly more mellow. Each bottle of V.E.P. is carefully closed by hand with a wax sealed cork, labeled with a wax Chartreuse seal and placed in a wooden box marked with a branding iron.
Famous cocktails:
- Chartreuse Martini: Gin, Green Chartreuse and dry vermouth.
- Lady Liberty: light rum, orgeat syrup, maraschino liqueur, Green Chartreuse, lime juice and a dash of absinthe
What is Frangelico and what cocktails is it found in?
Frangelico is a pale gold colored liqueur made of Tonda Gentile hazelnuts. It is distilled in the Piedmont region of northern Italy from an alcohol and water infusion of the nuts. Natural flavoring extracts such as cocoa and vanilla are added before blending with alcohol, sugar and water to meet the bottle strength.
It remains the premier hazelnut liqueur and its origins go back over 300 years to the Christian monks who inhabited that area of Italy. The name Frangelico is derived from one of those monks, Fra. Angelico, and the bottle reflects this heritage, which looks like a glass monk, complete with a rope belt.
Famous cocktails:
- Nutty Martini: Frangelico, Vodka and simple syrup.
- Peach Cobbler: Frangelico, Peach vodka, heavy cream, and graham cracker or brown sugar rim.
What is Chambord and what cocktails is it found in?
Chambord is a premium, all-natural black raspberry liqueur produced in the Loire Valley, south of Paris, France. It is rich, lush and sweet made with raspberries and blackberries in a Cognac and other French spirits base.
Chambord is the elegant purple star of a number of popular cocktails, including the French Martini and Hollywood Martini (and many other “Martinis”) and this makes its gold crowned bottle a regular in the back bar line up. When a cocktail calls for raspberry liqueur, Chambord is almost always the first choice.
The process of making Chambord is not easy; it is a finely crafted blend of infused spirits and Cognac.
Steps of making Chambord:
1) Whole raspberries and blackberries are steeped for several weeks in French spirits.
2) The berries are strained from the infusion and soaked again in a second batch of liquor for a few more weeks.
3) The berries are removed again and pressed for their sugar and juice.
4) The Maitre Liquoriste (master blender) then blends the two infused spirits, sugary juice, and fine Cognac with the extracts of Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, black raspberries, honey, and other herbs and spices.
Famous cocktails:
- French Martini: Dry gin, Chambord and pineapple juice
- Commodore: rum, egg white, sugar, lemon juice, grenadine and Chambord.
What is Sloe gin and what cocktails is it found in?
Sloe gin is a red liqueur made with gin and sloe (blackthorn) drupes, which are a small fruit relative of the plum. Sloe gin has an alcohol content between 15 and 30 percent by volume. However, the European Union has established a minimum of 25% ABV for sloe gin to be named as such.[1] The traditional way of making sloe gin is to soak the sloes in gin. Sugar is required to ensure the sloe juice is extracted from the fruit.
Sloe gin was traditionally drunk in the depths of winter, as a warming drink, until the Americans got a hold of it and summer-ified it with citrus and soda water. Thus was born the Sloe Gin Fizz, arguably the most famous sloe gin cocktail out there. Sloe gin had a bit of a slump in the 60s and 70s, a pretty dark time for cocktails in general. Sloe gin made according to the original formulation all but disappeared, and was replaced by a new kind of sloe gin made with neutral spirits flavored to mimic the taste of the original. For a long time, people forgot what real sloe gin tasted like.
Famous cocktails:
- Sloe Ginn Fizz: sloe gin, lemon juice, sugar, club soda, egg white and ice.
- Wibble Cocktail: Sloe gin, creme de cassis and grapefruit juice.
What is Tia Maria and what cocktails is it found in?
TIA MARIA is an exotic infusion of natural vanilla and the finest fresh coffee roasted to perfection, complemented with a touch of Jamaican rum. Rich copper and golden amber tones blend with an enticing caramel nose to make TIA MARIA an ideal mixer in exotic cocktails.
The legend of TIA MARIA dates back to the mid-17th century, when a beautiful young Spanish aristocrat fled the turmoil colonial war brought to the island of Jamaica. Her maid saved one family treasure, a small jewelry box with black pearl earrings and an ancient manuscript with the recipe for a mysterious liqueur. The recipe was named after the courageous woman: TIA MARIA.
It was then rediscovered in the 1950s by Dr. Kenneth Leigh Evans, who began to produce and market it. Still made to the original Caribbean recipe by ILLVA Saronno and distributed in over 60 countries.
Famous cocktails:
- Queen Bee: Vodka, Tia Maria and dry sherry.
- Cary Grant: Tia Maria, vodka and lime juice
