Cocktail spirits and liqueurs - an overview

The vodkas, gins, and rums of this world are alland their stones. Popular in cheese fondue making.
known entities to the majority of the drinkingLIQUEUR - A spirit which has been both
public, but what about all the weird and wonderfulsweetened and flavoured. Originally used as
spirits and liqueurs that pop up in cocktail menusmedicines, most liqueurs are now used in cocktails.
you've never, well, heard of? Confused overMALIBU - The best known brand of coconut rum.
Cachaca? Mystified by Midori? Below are some ofMARSALA - A fortified wine from Sicily. Made
the more esoteric bottles in a bartender's arsenal.with Grillo, Inzolia, and Catarratto grapes.
ADVOCAAT - A Dutch liqueur made up of spiritMARTINI - A brand of vermouth from Piedmont
and sweetened egg yolks. Varies betweenin Italy. Rosso (red), Bianco (white) and extra dry
14-20% abv.are the the most famous bottlings.
AKEVITT, AKVAVIT OR AQUAVIT - Grain orMIDORI - Japanese melon liqueur. First brought to
potato based spirit usually flavoured with caraway.market in 1978.
Scandinavian in Origin with an ABV typically atMOZART - Austrian chocolate based creme
around 40%.liqueur. Available in gold (made with fresh cream),
AMARETTO - Almond and/or apricot flavouredblack (no cream), white and chocolate orange.
liqueur from Italy. The name is a diminutive of theNOILLY PRAT - Good quality brand of Dry
Italian Amaro, meaning bitter.Vermouth from the South of France.
ARRACK - From Asia. Distilled from sugar caneORGEAT - Almond flavour syrup. Rose water or
and cooked rice, and, occasionally, the sap oforange water can also be added.
coconut palms.PASTIS - Generic name for aniseed flavoured
BENEDICTINE - French aged distillate of 27 herbsliqueurs such as Ricard, Pernod and Ouzo. The
and spices. Originally made by Benedictine monks.name comes from "Pastiche" as these drinks
CACHACA - Distilled from fermented andwere an imitation of the old absinthe (thought to
concentrated sugar cane sap. A style of sugarbe a health hazard as it contains wormwood, the
cane Brandy similar to unmatured or "raw" whitehallucinogenic).
rum. Brazil's national spirit.PIMM'S - A slightly bitter fruity Summer drink with
CAMPARI - The red version of an Italian bittera spirit base. No 1 (Gin based) is the best known
aperitif wine. Invented by Gaspare Campari in thebottling. No 6, Vodka based, is harder to obtain.
19th Century.No's 2,3, 4 and 5 are based on Whisky, Brandy,
CHAMBORD - Black raspberry liqueur fromRum and Rye Whiskey in turn, and are very rare.
Burgundy in France. Sold in a distinctive globePINEAU DES CHARENTES - From Charentes in
shaped bottle. Raspberries, blackberries,France. The product of grape must (not wine)
Madagascan vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honeyand young Cognac blended and matured in cask.
and Cognac all form part of the blend. One of theAvailable in red and white.
most glamorous looking bottles in our cocktailPISCO - A clear Brandy. The national drink of
making and tasting events.Peru and Chile. Made from fermented Muscat
CHARTREUSE - Can be yellow or green. A longgrape skins.
established French liqueur flavoured with manyPUNT E MES - A dark brown bitter Italian aperitif
herbs. Famously made by Carthusian monks.fortified wine. Means "point and a half" in
COINTREAU - A French orange flavour liqueurPiedmontese + named after a sharp rise in the
made by the Cointreau family since 1849. Sweetstock market, which then created this brand to
and bitter orange peel steeped in alcohol is doublecommemorate the occasion.
distilled, diluted and sweetened.QUETSCH - Clear Brandy made from black plums.
CURACAO - From the Caribbean Island of theProduced in Alsace in North Eastern France.
same name. Sweet orange flavoured liqueur madeSAMBUCA - Italian aniseed flavour liqueur made
from an infusion of orange peel in spirit, dilutedfrom anise, herbs and roots. Typically colourless,
and sweetened. Styles are: triple sec (clear oralthough you can get black, and bright red
white), usually the product of redistillation of theSambuca. When poured straight, often served
base spirit; dry orange Curacao, less sweet, clear,with toasted coffee beans.
orange colour; lastly red, green, and blue Curacao,SCHNAPPS - Grain or potato based neutral spirit
so coloured mainly for cocktail use.sometimes redistilled with assorted flavourings
DRAMBUIE - A Scotch Whisky liqueur made withsuch as Apple or Peach. "Schnaps" is a low
a secret blend of herbs, spices and heatherGerman word that means swallow.
honey.SOUTHERN COMFORT - Well known American
DUBONNET - An aromatised wine similar RossoSpirit brand. The recipe is secret, but Bourbon,
Vermouth. Has its origins in the French Foreignpeaches, oranges and herbs are all believed to be
legion. Nowadays famously enjoyed by certainpart of the blend.
members of the British royal family.SPIRITS - Drinks which have been produced by
FRAMBOISE - Raspberry eaux-de-vie or clearconcentrating the alcohol present in a fermented
Brandy.liquid by distillation.
GALLIANO - Italian liqueur with over 80 herbs,STREGA - Italian liqueur made with 70 herbs. First
roots and berries, although predominantly aniseedblended in 1860.
in flavour. First blended by Arturo Vaccari in 1896.TIA MARIA - Jamaican coffee flavour liqueur.
GRAND MARNIER - A French blend of CognacsOriginally made using Jamaican blue mountain
and tropical oranges, aged in French oak casks.coffee beans.
Created in 1880.VERMOUTH - A fortified wine infused with herbs,
GRAPPA - Italian distillate of fermented grapebarks, plant extracts etc. Usually frozen and
skins and stalks, which are themselves the residuethawed to encourage the removal of impurities,
of wine production. A typically fiery, raw spirit.before fine filtering. Dry Vermouth is occasionally
KAHLUA - Mexican coffee liqueur. Semi sweetreferred to as "French", sweet rosso Vermouth is
and very full bodied.sometimes known as "Italian". Both countries
KIRSCH - Clear, occasionally slightly astringentmake both types.
tasting eaux-de-vie distilled from black cherries