BEVERAGE
The World of
Liqueurs A
fine dinner, with its different courses, often comes to an end with the offer of a cup of coffee, tea, a glass of brandy, or a glass of liqueur. However, nothing can surpass the satisfaction of a post-prandial alcoholic drink that a glass of fine liqueur provides. But to make a wise selection of liqueur, after a satisfying meal, one needs to understand the basic technicalities involved in the production of this delightful drink, and also the suitable ways of enjoying it. The importance of liqueurs also lies in the fact that they make valuable additions to any cocktail of choice, by providing aromas and finesse to a cocktail. They blend instantly with the neutral flavoured spirits like vodka, but some liqueurs also manage to complement alcoholic drinks
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that come with identifiable aromas of their own, such as whiskies or dark rums.
A Few Technicalities The word liqueur originates from the Latin word ‘liquifacere’ which simply means ‘to dissolve’; a reference to the dissolving of ingredients in the spirit. A liqueur is almost always a sweet alcoholic drink, flavoured with fruits, herbs, flowers, spices, seeds, and sometimes even with creams. However, this list is hardly exhaustive as there are additional possibilities of flavourings. Some of the well known liqueurs like Benedictine, and Absinthe have been derived from some of the well-known herbal medicines. Today liqueurs, in addition to being consumed at the end of a meal, form a great additive to cocktails. Fancy liqueurs
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may be served with ice, mixed with coffee or other mixers, or as a simple dessert enhancer. They may also be used for cooking.
Categories of Liqueurs Strict categorisation of liqueurs is not as simple as it might seem! They are commonly categorised on the basis of the presence of distinguishing flavours of chocolate, coffee, cream, crème, fruits, berries, flowers, herbals, nuts, whisky, and a few other flavours. Over the ages, some brands of liqueurs have become more popular than others, but once you get hooked and charmed by the world of liqueurs it is easy to be totally engrossed in different styles, options and ingredients.
Aug-Sept ’21
