Apricot Brandy: Apry, Etc.

[eje]

[...] This might also make some sense, as the slight coloration ("staining") of the spirit comes from aging in used oak.

I could be wrong but I thought I remembered noting Caramel Color on the label...

Not on the label of mine...

[...]

←

Yeah, you're probably right. I think I am thinking of Brizard Apry instead of the Zwack Pecsétes Barack Palinka apricot Eau-de-Vie. Though I can't seem to find my bottle of Zwack at the moment. The disadvantage of having a large and poorly organized spirits collection. I purchased it a long time ago and didn't really taste it until after I had tried the Haus Alpenz Blume Marillen Eau-de-Vie. Trying them together, I thought, "...And I would use the Zwack because?" The Zwack tasted more like tequila than apricots to me. I'm sure I stashed it at the back of some cabinet somewhere in the house.

Really need to inventory and come up with an organizational scheme...

edit - clarify that we were talking about comparing apricot eau-de-vie, not apricot liqueur.

Edited February 2, 2008 by eje (log)

[eje]

[...] This might also make some sense, as the slight coloration ("staining") of the spirit comes from aging in used oak.

I could be wrong but I thought I remembered noting Caramel Color on the label...

Not on the label of mine...

[...]

←

Yeah, you're probably right. I think I am thinking of Brizard Apry instead of the Zwack Pecsétes Barack Palinka apricot Eau-de-Vie. Though I can't seem to find my bottle of Zwack at the moment. The disadvantage of having a large and poorly organized spirits collection.

[...]

←

Actually...

Nice to know that the drink enfeebled brain cells occasionally fire in the correct order.

[DCP]

After putting in a request many months ago with my go-to source for hard-to-find bottles, said source came through. Last Saturday, at least 3 bottles of Marie Brizard Apry were on the shelf. Picked up one; haven't had a chance to get into it.

Perhaps MB's production issues are finally being resolved.

[slkinsey]

I think it was a labeling/branding issue rather than a production issue. Apry (now apparently called "Apricot Brandy" in the US) has been back on the shelves for quote some time in NY.

[weinoo]

A big shock today when I went to my local liquor store to pick up a couple of bottles of Marie Brizard Apry, which the proprietor had special ordered for me.

It looks like there's now a new bottling of the stuff, at 2/3 of the ABV of the "old" stuff. Yep, it's now 20% ABV as opposed to what it used to be - 30% ABV; and I snatched up all remaining bottles of the 60 proof.

[FireAarro]

I picked up a bottle of 20.5% Apry the other day; found one shop that stocks it in Melbourne (Parkhill Cellars on Errol st. there are probably other little hidden ones). It tastes awesome. Also, if you haven't yet, take Paul's advice and try the Claridge*. It's as worthy as he makes it out to be

* Though feel free to scale it down a third

Edited March 8, 2010 by FireAarro (log)

[bostonapothecary]

A big shock today when I went to my local liquor store to pick up a couple of bottles of Marie Brizard Apry, which the proprietor had special ordered for me.

It looks like there's now a new bottling of the stuff, at 2/3 of the ABV of the "old" stuff. Yep, it's now 20% ABV as opposed to what it used to be - 30% ABV; and I snatched up all remaining bottles of the 60 proof.

i noted this change and it got me thinking. that is a pretty big volumetric change, so what happened? did we get more apricot or did we get more water. that alcohol is potentially important to the structural expression of the drink, but was it quality stuff with a tonal effect on the fruit expression or just junk, barely cut grain neutral spirits. if that later it might not be worth its emotional contribution to a drink's structure...

and then what are the implications of moving from a syrup to a liqueur. does a fruit syrup imply there is more aroma than a fortified syrup(liqueur) which has been diluted with alcohol. and could we jack our syrups and replace a portion of water with alcohol to create liqueurs with the syrup level aromatics.

the state of california would not be happy with me making five gallon batches of "ice wine method" apricot liqueur fortified with st. james amber or cape verdean rum, sugared to the same ethic as brizard, and dispensed into 375ml decanters from air purged cornelius kegs tucked away in the basement.

[Yojimbo]

Has anyone done a side-by-side tasting of R & W and Apry since Brizard dropped the ABV? I noticed that Clover Club has added a whole category of "Bell Ringers" to its menu -- described as analogous to a Sazarac's absinthe rinse, but with apricot brandy instead. I don't think apricot brandy is the next absinthe, but I'm curious . . . .

[FrogPrincesse]

I made a Slope tonight with the following ratios:

2 oz Rittenhouse rye

3/4 oz Punt e Mes

1/4 oz R&W apricot liqueur

1 dash Angostura bitters

I was concerned that the apricot may overwhelm the drink. It was quite the opposite. At first this Manhattan variation seemed a little intense with the Punt e Mes and rye dominating the drink. The apricot gave it a nice subtle finish.

[FrogPrincesse]

The logical follow-up for the Slope is the Sunset Park (Michael Madrusan), which replaces the Punt e Mes with dry vermouth (and uses slightly different ratios). I found it last night while looking for Manhattan variations in the Bartender's Choice app for my husband who was not convinced by my latest discovery, the Infante.

2 oz rye, 1/2 dry vermouth, 1/2 apricot liqueur, 2 dashes angostura bitters

It's described as a summertime Manhattan. It's good but a little on the sweet side, so I would reduce the amount of apricot liqueur next time.

[earlgrey_44]

I have an unopened gift bottle of Lejay-Lagoute Creme d'Abricot from Dijon, which represents an invitation to explore unknown territory (for me) in apricot cocktail land. I've made a list from this thread of things to try.

For a point of reference, is anyone familiar with Lejay to compare it to other apricot liqueur discussed upthread?

[earlgrey_44]

(Bump)

Anybody?

[thirtyoneknots]

(Bump)

Anybody?

How about telling us what you think of it? Does the apricot flavor ring true or does it taste artificial? How would you compare the sweetness to other liqueurs? What's the proof?

[earlgrey_44]

Happy to oblige. Attached is a pic of a Charlie Chaplin, made with london gin and the Lejay.

Straight, it has a clean apricot flavor, more fruity than sweet - 40 proof like the "new" Apry.

In this cocktail, the drink is pleasently tart but well balanced with sweetness. The apricot is well centered with the lemon morphed into a fresh apricot juice impression - nice.

While I wouldn't care to sip this liqueur, this cocktail is a winner.

The Charlie Chaplin Cocktail

1 part apricot brandy

1 part sloe gin

1 part lemon juice

( I made it up, shaken, w/ the gin subsitution)

Edited June 6, 2012 by earlgrey_44 (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

From the Rogue (now beta) Cocktails thread:

@Frog -- please let us know what you think of Apry re R&W Orchard Apricot. I'm afraid to buy another bottle of MB product as I've been disappointed in every one I've tried. I don't much like fruity liqueurs, but I don't object to Orchard Apricot in limited quantities. The candy-like aspect I find is much stronger in Peach liqueur, such as Mathilde Pêche, which I think requires a deft hand to avoid craptailosity.

I think it's time to revisit this Apricot Brandy thread so I am responding to Dan here. I currently have a bottle of the R&W but am not crazy about it. To me it tastes rather sweet and candy-like in cocktails. Re-reading this thread I realized that Marie Brizard had lowered Apry's proof some years ago, so maybe that's not the way to go if I am trying to "upgrade".

Diffords reviewed various apricot liqueurs in April 2012 which included De Kuyper (4/5), Monin (4.5/5), Bols (4/5), Gabriel Boudier (5/5), Giffard (5/5), and De Kuyper XO (5+/5). The review, interestingly, did not include Marie Brizard's Apry. De Kuyper XO is not available in the US as far as I can tell, and seems quite expensive, so that is out. Giffard retails in the US for about $30. I am not sure about Boudier.

Paul Clarke on Serious Eats wrote an article in 2011 where he discussed Marie Brizard, Giffard, and Rothman & Winter. According to him, "Any of these three do an excellent job in cocktails, though the Rothman & Winter is probably the most natural (and natural-tasting) of the bunch."

Jason Wilson had a detailed article in the Washington Post in January 2011. The two that he seems to like the best are Marie Brizard and R&W.

There is also a product by The Bitter Truth, although Jay noted on Oh Gosh! that it was not the best product for mixing purposes:

Unlike some apricot brandies (Giffard Abricot du Roussillon for example) the TBT Apricot Brandy lacks the more bitter, complex almond-like notes that the apricot kernel introduces. While this makes for a very sippable liqueur, in the cocktails I tried it in like the Claridge Cocktail and Pendennis Club Cocktail the TBT product struggled to stand up to the other flavours in the drink.

I don't use apricot liqueur very often, but I was hoping I could change from R&W to something I like a little better. Boudier may be the way to go if I manage to track it down. Otherwise I am considering Giffard or Briottet (I have their peach liqueur and it's great). Lejay-Lagoute mentioned upthread sounds like a good option, but I don't think it's available in the US. I really wish I could try various brands before committing to a whole bottle.

Edited December 11, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

After beta cocktails' Moment of Silence, another very nice cocktail with the R&W apricot liqueur - Erick Castro's Mayan Concubine.

I used this recipe but reduced the simple from 1/2 oz to 1/3 oz. So that's 2 oz aged tequila, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz apricot liqueur, 1/3 oz simple syrup, 1 dash Angostura bitters, lemon peel garnish.

The aged tequila (the recipe calls for reposado but I used an older expression, Siete Leguas añejo) is able to neutralize the candy taste of the R&W apricot liqueur. Instead you get ripe apricot, with spice and smoke from the tequila. Very drinkable while being enjoyably complex.

[EvergreenDan]

Giffard Abricot du Roussillon. I'd like to like it. Jolly Rancher to me, but I tend to that association with stone fruit liqueurs. YMMV.

[Craig E]

I visited Kindred Cocktails and the random drink appearing on the front page was the Periodista: Dark rum, Cointreau, apricot liqueur, lime juice.

This is my favorite thing I've made with my R&W Orchard Apricot thus far.

[Tzatziki]

Blume Marillien has such a wonderful aroma...has anyone tried pairing it with different gins? What's your favorite gin to pair it with? It's so floral that I'd be tempted to try pairing it with a woodier gin (e.g. St. George Terroir or something), but maybe I should use a more neutral one and let it shine? 

[blue_dolphin]

42 minutes ago, Tzatziki said:

Blume Marillien has such a wonderful aroma...has anyone tried pairing it with different gins? What's your favorite gin to pair it with? It's so floral that I'd be tempted to try pairing it with a woodier gin (e.g. St. George Terroir or something), but maybe I should use a more neutral one and let it shine? 

 

I haven't tried it with gin, but @thirtyoneknots recommended the Culross with a Flor de Cana, Cocchi Americano and lemon back in this post and I found it quite tasty. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Quote

 

 

8 hours ago, Tzatziki said:

Blume Marillien has such a wonderful aroma...has anyone tried pairing it with different gins? What's your favorite gin to pair it with? It's so floral that I'd be tempted to try pairing it with a woodier gin (e.g. St. George Terroir or something), but maybe I should use a more neutral one and let it shine? 

 

 

Gin??   Why?

 

I'm enjoying a generous glass of Blume Marillen as we speak.  If only I could finish it so I could use the bottle for vanilla extract.

 

I confess I put in a couple drops of Liqueur Abricot.  Served with an almost superfluous -- though exceptional -- organic California dried apricot.