Liqueurs

[kulebyaka]

You can have my bottle of Cynar. I know some people who say they like it, but MAN that stuff is NAS-TY. You know how when you are cutting up/trimming artichokes and you absently minded happen to lick your fingers? That's the flavor, only with sugar. 

I recently bought a bottle of Cynar because I liked the label! I didn't quite hate it, but I think a slice of lemon would improve the taste. It is oddly refreshing, but mostly odd tasting. I still like the label.

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I like it, but I don't happen to have any at the moment. I bought my last boittle several years ago at a liquor store that has since closed, and I have no idea whether my present dealer even carries it.

I'm not all that fond of liqueurs in general, but I used to enjoy Forbidden Fruit, a pummelo-based product which is no longer available.

[freshherbs]

It's all about the UNICUM! a deliciously bitter Hungarian herbal liqueur from 1790 produced by the Zwack family. coolest bottle ever.

also, their other product Unicum Next is good too--sweeter citrus finish.

[Snowy is dead]

Snowy - are you sure the chinese liqueur with gecko didn't contain formalin?

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I am not sure about anything that is in that bottle, except for the lizards. I can see them, all bitched up, floating in liquid. There are lots of chinese symbols, but not a lick of english. Wish I knew more. I guess they sell the same stuff in Korea, and it has medicinal/recreational value. Beats me what for.

I can't figure out how to post a pick, but I'll give it a shot if someone can tell me how....

Sean

[gethin]

Snowy - are you sure the chinese liqueur with gecko didn't contain formalin?

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I am not sure about anything that is in that bottle, except for the lizards. I can see them, all bitched up, floating in liquid. There are lots of chinese symbols, but not a lick of english. Wish I knew more. I guess they sell the same stuff in Korea, and it has medicinal/recreational value. Beats me what for.

I can't figure out how to post a pick, but I'll give it a shot if someone can tell me how....

Sean

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There are some notes on the medicinal qualities of chinese snake wine , baby rat wine etc here .

Also a picture of the baby rat wine !

I guess your gecko wine is made by a similar method (macerating live geckos in rice wine).

Gethin

[TallDrinkOfWater]

I passed through the Duty Free store at the Pacific Crossing US/Canada border near Blaine, Washington, today and came across Grand Marnier Cuvee Loius Alexandre. It was kind of expensive (~US$65 -- though that's for a 1.15L bottle, I think) and I hadn't heard of it before, so I didn't pick up a bottle.

When I got home I looked it up and was surprised to find it's only available at Duty Free in Holland and Canada.

It sounds interesting, though the price still seems high. Has anyone had it, and if so, what do you think?

[Gary Regan]

I passed through the Duty Free store at the Pacific Crossing US/Canada border near Blaine, Washington, today and came across Grand Marnier Cuvee Loius Alexandre. It was kind of expensive (~US$65 -- though that's for a 1.15L bottle, I think) and I hadn't heard of it before, so I didn't pick up a bottle.

When I got home I looked it up and was surprised to find it's only available at Duty Free in Holland and Canada.

It sounds interesting, though the price still seems high. Has anyone had it, and if so, what do you think?

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I recently sampled a oretty incredible liqueur from CA. It's called Nocino Della Cristina walnut liqueur. Google the brand name to find the site.

This stuff is very rich and flavorful with notes of prunes or dates behind the nutty flavors, but I found it fairly hard to work with when using it in cocktails. I've written about my experience, and the piece will be published in about 8 days, so I'll let everyone in on what went down after the article goes live.

Meanwhile, I highly recommend this liqueur.

[k43]

Lakka, a Finnish cloudberry liqueur, was mentioned up-string. I'd like to get a bottle as a birthday present for my Scandanavian wife, but it doesn't seem to be imported into the U.S.

U.S. sources, anyone?

[eje]

I recently sampled a oretty incredible liqueur from CA.  It's called Nocino Della Cristina walnut liqueur.  Google the brand name to find the site.

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Oh, cool.

I read about this in the K & L newsletter a few months ago and have been curious about their take on Nocino. It seems like a craft product. The cocktail recipes on their website, though, are not particularly appealing.

Nutslide?!

I suspect the homemade Nocino I've had is a less sweet liqueur; but, I find it makes a tasty cocktail when substituted for sweet vermouth in a wet martini. I wonder how it would be in a Rye or Bourbon Manhattan? Hmmm... Rye and Nocino seems appealing, even at 9:00 AM...

Erik

[slkinsey]

Gary, we've got a pretty extensive thread here about nocino that you may find of interest. As I'm sure you know, nocino is a digestive/liqueur that many Italians make at home. Do you find it particularly outstanding among other examples of nocino? I have some Italian friends who now live in Houston and make a pecan "nocino" using green pecans instead of green walnuts (because the former grows in Houston while the latter does not).

I wonder about using nocino (in very small amounts, because the flavor is so strong) with lemon juice and gin...

[Friend of the Farmer]

k43 - I did a search and couldn't find any Lakka or listed cloudberry in the usa.

for those searching for a particular wine or spirit, you may want to try the US TTB's public cola registry: https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/publi...chColasBasic.do

TTB mandates that every wine or spirit sold in the US must first register its label with TTB, so here you'll find most every product (and its label) listed. Not the most user friendly, but good for those of us in the hunt for the obscure.

For those that like Nocino, I'd also suggest trying some of the spiced variations from Austria and Switzerland. Best so far has been a walnut liqueur from Linz spiced with enzian, lemon, and pine. Made by a local distillery in Linz called Purkhart, who make maybe 30 different liqueurs, none of which are likely sold beyond the Linz-Salzburg region. Well worth a stop into their shop if you take the cheepie flights from Stansted to Linz to alpine skiing.

[Rob Simmon]

I have a bottle of "Liqueur Eau de noix" from Chartreux (I think they also made a Crem de Myrtle and Framboise). Does anyone know if this is similar to Nocino? I haven't figured out a way to mix it, maybe with bourbon and an Amaro?

[Splificator]

For what it's worth, here's a tequila and nocino cocktail I came up with for an Italian restaurant last year. When I think Italy and Mexico, I think Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone--spaghetti western, so I named it the "Tuco," after Eli Wallach's character in "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly." The nocino turns the thing a rather unappetizing brown color, so you can guess which one of the three Tuco was. On the other hand, like Tuco it's got pretty good entertainment value.

Tuco

(Cocktail coupe)

1 1/2 oz Herradura reposado tequila

1/2 oz Nocino Aggazzotti black walnut liqueur

1/2 oz Gran Gala orange liqueur

1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice

Shake and strain into salt-rimmed glass

[mrbigjas]

k43 - I did a search and couldn't find any Lakka or listed cloudberry in the usa. 

for those searching for a particular wine or spirit, you may want to try the US TTB's public cola registry: https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/publi...chColasBasic.do

TTB mandates that every wine or spirit sold in the US must first register its label with TTB, so here you'll find most every product (and its label) listed.  Not the most user friendly, but good for those of us in the hunt for the obscure. 

wow, that's good info. thanks.

[eje]

I have a bottle of "Liqueur Eau de noix" from Chartreux (I think they also made a Crem de Myrtle and Framboise). Does anyone know if this is similar to Nocino? I haven't figured out a way to mix it, maybe with bourbon and an Amaro?

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Oooh! Neat.

Looks similar to a Nocino, the green nuts are even harvested on the same day.

Walnut Liqueur from Chartreuse

Though, in Italy, they'd probably use grain alcohol for the base spirit. Sounds like this is based on grape eau de vie.

[rr1016]

I hate to get off this fascinating nocino topic, but I wanted to add my own liqueur experiences.

I, too, had Passoa, only it was on Curacao. I made the mistake of believing that if I jotted down the name, I would simply go home, walk into a liquor store, and be able to purchase it. Well, I didn't actually believe I could walk into ANY liquor store and find it, but I didn't know it would be a fruitless pursuit. You can't even get it on-line (not in the U.S., anyway). I became so obsessed with it, that I wrote an article about it. If you'd like to read it, it's here:

Pass the Passoa

The closest thing I could get was Alize or Ore, both passionfruit liqueurs (that is what Passoa is).

I also had Pisang Ambon on Curacao. This is a Dutch libation that tasted of bananas. Another one I can't get in the States.

And if you ever go to Jamaica, you MUST bring back Jamaican rum cream. YUM!!!! It's like Bailey's, only better and made with rum instead of whiskey. The brands are Sangster's and Word's End.

As to Aquitaine's question about where to find peach or blackcurrant leaves, you might try Kalustyan's on Lexington between 28th and 29th sts. Mind you, I am not promising anything! I'm merely suggesting it because they have alot of exotic/foreign stuff. You might luck out at some of the gourmet markets around the city. They sometimes carry unusual stuff.

[Friend of the Farmer]

rr1016 - if you liked the rum cream, see what you think of the austrian mountain cream liqueur they've got as special order at Blaue Gans. Be sure to ask for it chilled!

I've read that a mangosteen juice is coming into the US market - anyone know about this? Why the fruit itself is not legal for import (principally from Malaysia and Indonesia) is an affront.

[M.X.Hassett]

I've read that a mangosteen juice is coming into the US market - anyone know about this?  Why the fruit itself is not legal for import (principally from Malaysia and Indonesia)  is an affront.

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Finding a fordidden fruit in Chinatown

A fresh mangosteen is very, very hard to come by. Buying or selling one from the places it grows best is downright illegal.

Why, then, at the sparkling New York Supermarket in Chinatown, nestled under the arch of the Manhattan Bridge on Henry St. between Pike and Market Sts., might one find a single Styrofoam box of mangosteens? Even the workers there, who referred to their small mangosteen bushel as “Thailand fruit” and said they imported it themselves, balked when asked if they knew whether it was legal. One, looking off into the street, quietly said that it was “bu hefa,” Mandarin for “illegal.”

As it turns out, this particular box of mangosteens was frozen solid, and according to Jim Rogers, a spokesperson for the United States Department of Agriculture, frozen mangosteens are exempt from strict import bans blocking their fresh brethren.

Mongosteen Juice

Looks like it will be an interesting ingredient to play with.

[Purrkins]

Two of my favorites, that I haven't been able to find here in the States are both from Germany. Ratzeputz - a high-proof primarily ginger flavored liqueur with a long fiery finish, and Escorial Gruen - a light-green herbal liqueur.

When I was first in Germany in 1963, my "associates" thought it was great fun to haze the new guy with a shot of "Ratsp*ss." I, however, being a fan of ginger, LIKED it, and ordered another, much to their dismay.

Escorial Gruen (that "ue" is actually a "u" with an umlaut - two dots - over it), was sorta on the same order. I liked it, too.

Would like to find both - along with some Austrian Stroh rum.

Jim

[ludja]

Two of my favorites, that I haven't been able to find here in the States are both from Germany.  Ratzeputz - a high-proof primarily ginger flavored liqueur with a long fiery finish, and Escorial Gruen - a light-green herbal liqueur.

When I was first in Germany in 1963, my "associates" thought it was great fun to haze the new guy with a shot of "Ratsp*ss."  I, however, being a fan of ginger, LIKED it, and ordered another, much to their dismay.

Escorial Gruen (that "ue" is actually a "u" with an umlaut - two dots - over it), was sorta on the same order.  I liked it, too.

Would like to find both - along with some Austrian Stroh rum.

Jim

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I've seen Stroh rum in the U.S. so if you can't find it in the best stocked store in your area perhaps they can order it for you.

Thanks for mentioned the other liqueurs; they sound interesting.

Edited February 25, 2006 by ludja (log)

[Heikki]

Lakka, a Finnish cloudberry liqueur, was mentioned up-string.  I'd like to get a bottle as a birthday present for my Scandanavian wife, but it doesn't seem to be imported into the U.S.

U.S. sources, anyone?

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My suggestion is to contact the makers, Lignell & Piispanen, directly. The web page is http://www.lignellpiispanen.fi/. The pages are in English too and I am very sure that responding to English language queries is not a problem to them. However, I do not know how fast or if they answer email questions at all, but language should not be a problem.

Regarding the topic, they also have one liqueur that could be considered very much a Finnish specialty. The liqeueur is made of Arctic bramble (Rubus Arcticus) and the packaging claims that it has been made with unchanged recipe for about 120 years. I have tried it with some cocktails, but the taste seems to be too delicate to show itself when mixed. E.g. making an Aviation with Arctic bramble instead of Maraschino was not successful.

You will not find information about this liqueur from the makers' web page because at 27.5% it is over 21% which is the limit of what can advertised in Finland. Product information is considered as advertising.

--

Heikki

[Rob Simmon]

I tried:

1.5 oz. bourbon

2 tsp. chartreux nocino

1tsp. amaro (Torani Amer)

this evening. Meh. Not bad, just not interesting. maybe I need to "invert" the ingredients and use the nocino as a base and bourbon as a secondary ingredient.

[eje]

I've been trying to find Marie Brizard Apry lately, and have been told by a liquor store that it has been discontinued. The liquor store manager tried to order some and told me his salesperson informed him he's not sure if it is just unavailable temporarily or if they are no longer making it.

Luxardo and Massenet both list Apricot liqueurs on their websites; but, apparently neither of those companies sell those products in the US.

Anyone have insight or recommendations for a substitute?

Please tell me this isn't some weird FDA thing...

Edited March 12, 2006 by eje (log)

[Friend of the Farmer]

Absent any better immediate options, theres always Bailoni Marillenlikor (which IMO is still better than the Brizard variation). Otherwise it appear that the Freihof variety is in the US, as is a new Australian variety from Tamborine Mountain Distillery. Try your search under Marillen and see what come up. And do let us know what you find and taste...

[stickyii]

eje,

I know that several PA stores stock the Marie Brizard Apry as a speciality item, and you can always SLO it. I'm not sure what there state-state shipping laws are (or if this is even possible), but it leads me to believe that they are still making it - I wouldn't see why they would discontinue such a tasty product.

[LycheeLover]

I had a few different drinks made with Lichido Liqueur at a party recently. It's a totally addictive pink beverage. The promoters were saying it had cognac and vodka in it with lychees, guavas, and peaches. I think I'm going to start a fan club.