Liqueurs

It was doctors and monks several hundreds of years ago, in the search for medicines, who produced the first liqueurs when they used honey or sugar to sweeten the bitter herb elixirs for their patients. Today, liqueurs are defined as spirits which have been infused with flavorings, such as extracts (or distillates) of plants and fruits, fruit juices, or essential oils.

They may also be sweetened with honey or glucose. Depending on the ingredients, it is possible to differentiate between herb, spice, and bitter liqueurs. Fruit liqueurs are made from fruit juice, fruit-flavor liqueurs are produced from whole fruits or parts of fruit, emulsion liqueurs are viscous and rich, and there are cream and whiskey liqueurs.

Liqueurs also differ in their alcohol content. Milk-, chocolate-, and egg-based liqueurs are at least 40 proof; fruit juice-, cocoa-, coffee-, and tea-based liqueurs are at least 50 proof; fruit brandies and vanilla-flavored liqueurs are at least 60 proof; and honey liqueurs and fruit liqueurs blended with triple sec, a white, orange-scented curagao, are at least 70 proof, so an innocent-seeming liqueur can, in fact, be very strong. Liqueurs are indispensable for mixing drinks, whether to add color, or sweetness, or to enhance the taste.

Advocaat
This Dutch liqueur is an example of an emulsion liqueur, produced from egg yolks, sugar, and alcohol (usually brandy). It is at least 40 proof.

Amaretto
Amaretto is an amber-colored liqueur from Italy produced from sweet and bitter almonds, apricot kernels, and vanilla and other spices. Its alcohol content is 28 percent by volume, or 56 proof. The prussic acid contained in both almonds and apricot kernels is separated out during distillation.

Amaro Averna
This liqueur, which is also known as Amara Siciliano, from Italy is strong tasting and bitter.

Anisette
From France, this bitter liqueur is predominantly manufactured from star anise blended with flavorings, such as fennel, cloves, coriander, orrisroot, and other spices. It is at least 60 proof.

Apricot brandy
Apricot juice, apricot spirit, sugar and corn syrups, pure alcohol, and water are combined to make this brandy, which is at least 60 proof. If, instead of the aromatic fruit spirit, just a pure alcohol is used, any I products produced in Europe can only be labeled as "apricot liqueur." Apricot brandy is popular as a mixer because it combines | well with most spirits and juices.

B&B
This amber-colored liqueur is a mixture of Benedictine and cognac, and was introduced to the market in 1938. It is 80 proof, and is usually served over ice cubes.

Benedictine
This amber-colored, French herbal liqueur owes its name to the Benedictine monks who first produced the liqueur in 1510.

Creme De Cassis
This dark-red liqueur is produced from the juice of black currants, Icassis being the French word for this berry fruit. The alcohol content is at least 20 percent by volume, or 40 proof. Cassis can only be called Creme de cass/s if it has a minimum alcohol content of 15 percent by Volume and a specified minimum sugar content. Cassis is drunk neat as a liqueur and also as an aperitif. It is combined with white wine to make a Kir, and with champagne or other sparkling wine to make Kir Royale.

Chartreuse
French herbal liqueur was invented by an unknown alchemist as the elixir of life. Monks at the monastery of La Grande Chartreuse, near Grenoble, improved upon the alchemist's secret formula and developed yellow Chartreuse, the king of liqueurs, in addition to the normal green version. Chartreuse, which has brandy as its base liquor, contains some 130 different herbs and extracts. Yellow chartreuse is very mild and is 86 proof. Green Chartreuse is spicier and more powerful, and is 110 proof.

Cherry brandy
This cherry liqueur is produced from cherry juice. It is about 50 proof.

Cherry liqueur
One of the large group of fruit-juice-based liqueurs that are at least 50 proof, popular cherry liqueurs include Danish Cherry Heering, Italian Luxardo, and maraschino, an Italian drink made from sour cherries.

Cocoa liqueur
Produced from distilled cocoa beans or cocoa powder, cherry eau-de-vie is added to some brands for extra flavor.

Coconut liqueur
Made with coconut milk, this spirit is found in several forms, such as in Batida de Coco, Cocosala or the generic creme de coco. It is also produced crystal clear in the form of Coco Ribe and Malibu.

Coffee liqueur
This liqueur, which is often also called "mocha," is produced from freshly roasted, ground coffee beans or from powdered coffee without artificial flavorings, and the result is at least 50 proof. Liqueurs called "coffee with cream" or "mocha with cream" contain at least 10 percent cream. Some of the most familiar brands of coffee liqueur are Kahlua, a Mexican coffee liqueur with herbs and vanilla; Tia Maria, a Jamaican coffee liqueur with rum; and Batida de Cafe.

Cointreau
This liqueur is obtained from ripe Seville oranges and lemons, and is at least 80 proof. It is best drunk neat or over ice, and is used in cocktails. It is also used for mixing with other ingredients in cocktails, as well as flavoring cakes, pastries, and sweet desserts.

Cremes
Many fine, viscous, and sugary liqueurs are marketed under the name "creme de ..." and are at least 50 proof. They mostly consist of cognac or brandy, and get their characteristic flavor from fruit distillates. Creme de banane is a banana liqueur produced from ripe, aromatic bananas.

Creme de cacao is a pale to dark brown cocoa liqueur made from roasted shelled cocoa beans and a touch of vanilla. Pale cocoa is sweeter than the dark version.
Creme de cafe is a coffee liqueur made from freshly roasted and ground coffee
Creme de cassis is a tangy liqueur from black currants
Creme de coco is a liqueur produced from coconuts
Creme de fraises is a perfumed, delicate pink-colored strawberry
Creme de framboise is based on raspberries and is a little sweeter than strawberry liqueur.
Creme de mandarine is produced from mandarin juice.
Creme de menthe smells and tastes like peppermint. It is available in white and green
Creme de noyaux is a nut liqueur made from ground hazelnuts and
almonds, cherry pits, and cognac or brandy.
Creme de prunelle is produced from plum extracts and brandy.
Creme de violette is a blue violet liqueur.

Curacao
This is the generic term for orange liqueurs produced from the peel of a bitter variety of Seville orange. This variety of orange once grew prodominantly off the coast of Venezuela on the West Indian island of curaco, hence the name. Nowadays, the dried peel of this variety of seville orange almost always comes from Haiti. To extract the oil from the peel, the latter is treated with spirits, cognac, or armagnac. Spices and herbs are added. Curacao is produced in many colors (triple sec), in orange (Red Orange), green, and blue blue curacao Nonalcoholic blue curagao is available from specialty suppliers.

Drambuie
The scotish whisky-honey liqueur consists of 15-year-old scotch, herbs and heather honey. It is about 80 proof.

Escorial
A green herb-flavored liqueur from Germany.

Frangelico
This amber-colored Italian herb liqueur is made from hazelnuts, herbs, and berries.

Galliano
Galliano is one of the most famous Italian liqueurs. More than 70 different herbs and plant extracts lend the golden-yellow liqueur its unique flavor. Its alcohol content is 35 percent by volume, or 70 proof. Galliano is also available as a colorless, orange-flavored liqueur, and as a brownish, almond-flavored variety.

Goldwasser
This clear, colorless liqueur, spiced with caraway and aniseed, is produced according to a 400-year-old recipe, originally in Poland, but now in Germany. What is special about it are the pieces of genuine 22-carat gold leaf which float, glittering, in the liquid, and which are supposed to bring luck. (The gold leaf is safe to consume.) The alcohol content is 76 proof.

Grand Marnier
Caribbean bitter oranges flavor this French orange liqueur. There is a clear Grand Marnier and a red variety (Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge), and both are about 80 proof. Grand Marnier is either served neat at room temperature in a brandy snifter or chilled over ice in a rocks glass. It is also ideally suited for mixing.

Irish Mist
This whiskey liqueur, produced from Irish whiskey, herbs, and Irish heather, is 70 proof.

Jagermeister
A popular German herbal liqueur. If you can not find this, Fernet-Branca is a slightly more bitter-tasting alternative.

Kontiki
An alcoholic-tropical drink which combines gin with lemons and grapefruit.

lemon liqueur
This fruit-flavored liqueur is produced from ripe lemons. To be libeled "triple" or "triple sec," the liqueur must be at least 70 proof; rtfdinary lemon liqueur is 60 proof.

Maraschino
This clear cherry liqueur, which is 60 to 70 proof, tastes slightly of Inner almonds, although it is made with sour almonds. Italians enjoy ill inking it "on the rocks" after meals as a digestive.

Parfait Amour
A sweet, mauve-colored fruit liqueur produced from violets and cm ilic ingredients, with a hint of citrus flavor.

Passion-fruit liqueur
lambosala is the best-known brand of this tropical-fruit drink, which Is ill least 25 percent alcohol by volume, or 50 proof.

Peach brandy
Clear and almost colorless, this is classified as a liqueur rather than a brandy.

Peppermint liqueur
Consists of natural peppermint extracts, alcohol, and sugar.

Pisang Ambon
This Dutch liqueur is produced from bananas that grow on the tiny Indonesian island of Ambon. Bright green, it is flavored with herbs, .ind is 44 proof.

Sambuca
In Italy, you will see Italians drinking this licorice-flavored liqueur "on Ihe rocks" with water. Sambuca is one of numerous aniseed-flavored drinks but, in this case, elderberries contribute a unique taste.

Southern Comfort
This classic whiskey liqueur, invented more than 130 years ago in New Orleans, has a distinctive orange-peach flavor. It is 80 proof.

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