Spice It Up - Herbal Liqueurs

Spice It UpHerbal

Liqueurs WORDS ° Lukas Raschilla

While most will be somewhat familiar with herbal liqueurs, it is a unique and interesting category, and a vast one at that. Of course, you’ve all seen herbal liqueurs on the bar, on the shelves sitting behind the staples or off to the side on their own, wondering what are these bottles, how should the liquid be used? With a majority of herbal liqueurs coming from Europe, they will often have foreign names with old looking labels that are reminiscent of something you’d see in relative’s liquor cabinet. In fact, not only do they look antique, a lot of the recipes are centuries old and to this day are produced the exact same way using the exact same ingredients. Several herbal liqueurs closely guard the recipe and production methods and are only known by family or entrusted custodians, which are passed down through the generations.

Herbal liqueurs have traditionally had many uses; some were originally concocted as medicines or elixirs, using herbs and natural ingredients steeped in alcohol. While a number are considered aperitifs or digestifs being consumed for their digestive properties. Herbal liqueurs range from a relatively low 15% ABV right up to over 60% ABV.

While countless numbers of herbal liqueurs are available, here at Drinks World we have selected five herbal liqueurs that we think are unique, versatile, and varied in composition and flavour.

JÄGERMEISTER (YAY-GER-MY-STIR)

Invented in 1934, but with a history dating back to 1870, Jägermeister is a herbal liqueur that includes 56 different herbs, spices, fruits and roots that only two master distillers in the world can unlock. Commonly called “Jäger”, this digestif from Germany has five main ingredients; ginger, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and orange peel. Jäger was first made after many years of experimenting with different ingredients, and the recipe has not changed since it was invented. Curt Mast developed the recipe for a unique and unmistakable herbal liqueur. This was made to celebrate the bonding moments, as Jäger has been developed to toast to the group moments and it is anchored in hunting because Curt, like many of his contemporaries, was a passionate hunter with a respect for nature and all creatures and thus the spirit of the brand is about genuine connections. The mixture of herbal extracts and pure alcohol was imagined to prelude and conclude every hunting trip.

PRODUCTION OF JÄGERMEISTER

After selecting raw materials of the highest grade, the master distillers prepare several different dry mixtures of herbs. These are then gently extracted by cold maceration in a process that takes several weeks. Following this process, a master distiller will skillfully blend these macerates together and transfer them to oak casks in the Wolfenbüttel wood cask cellar. In time, these will provide the Jägermeister base, the key to the legendary Jägermeister taste. Each barrel that houses the liquid is constructed from wood grown in the local Palatine forest. In these vessels, the Jägermeister base is given time to “breathe”, slowly ageing for nearly one year. During the maturation process, the master distillers continually inspect the progress until the necessary complexity is achieved. Over a year will pass before the journey of a Jägermeister bottle is completed and allowed to leave the grounds. During that time, it will have undergone 383 quality control checks – guaranteeing the highest quality.

TASTING NOTES

Jägermiester has a deep amber appearance with burgundy tints, and coats the glass. Jägermeister is mildly spicy, complex and warming with wellbalanced traces of citrus, ginger, and star anise that are accompanied by a pleasantly bitter herbal flavor at 35% ABV. The suggested serve for Jägermeister is an ice-cold shot. It can also add a beautiful touch to cocktails or in mixed drinks such as Jäger and orange, which bringing out the orange peel flavour. A great Jägermeister drink is Root56 - mixing Jäger with ginger beer and two lime wedges in a highball glass.

ROOT56

Ingredients: • 45ml Jägermeister • Ginger beer to top Method: Build over Ice Garnish: 2 Lime Wedges Glassware: Highball

FERNET-BRANCA

The herbal liqueur known around the industry as a classic, none other than Fernet-Branca. Fernet-Branca falls into the amaro category – a class of Italian bitter liqueurs, which are principally enjoyed for their digestive qualities before or after a meal, and are referred to as a “digestivo” or “aperitivo”. Consisting of 27 different herbs, Fernet-Branca ages for at least one year in oak barrels. One of the oldest in the amaro category, born in 1845, the original Fernet-Branca recipe has been handed down from generation to generation and today continues to be the true Italian digestive bitter. Fernet-Branca is seen as an industry drink of choice, with a nip of Fernet also being referred to as the “bartenders handshake”. It is said to be a magical hangover cure, occasionally being prescribed to settle upset stomachs and mend broken hearts, with some even spiking their coffee with a few drops. Bars around the world have even gone as far as providing Fernet-Branca on tap. Outside of Italy, Fernet & cola is considered to be the national drink of choice in Argentina, known as a “Fernando”. In fact, such was the demand in the South American country that Fernet-Branca expanded to open its first distillery outside of Milan in Buenos Aires. What exactly is Fernet-Branca made of? Like most herbal liqueurs, Fernet-Branca is a combination of ingredients. FernetBranca list the following ingredients as their “secret formula”: Myrrh, Linden, Galangal, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Saffron, Iris, Gentian , Bitter orange

TASTING NOTES

The unique individual ingredients give Fernet-Branca its decisive tone, making it a rich digestive bitter with a spiced aftertaste at 40% ABV. Complimenting the bitterness are menthol and eucalyptus flavours that come through, giving it a clean tasting finish.

HOW TO TASTE AND APPRECIATE FERNET-BRANCA

Of course, while delicious with cola and garnished with a lemon wedge, for those wanting to appreciate the full flavours, Fernet-Branca suggests the liqueur can be enjoyed in three sips: • First sip, pause for a few seconds to allow the decisive bitter tone of the Colombo and Aloe and the unmistakable character of gentian. • Second sip, will allow the distinct spiced flavour of zedoary and the full flavour chamomile • The third and final, the overall richness of Fernet-Branca is revealed, the balanced bitter aftertaste prevails over the spicy tones of Myrrh.

The three step on how to taste - www.branca.it

Fernet-Branca is seen as an industry drink of choice, with a nip of Fernet also being referred to as the “bartenders handshake”.

CHARTREUSE

Known as the “Elixir of Long Life”, Chartreuse is made following an ancient recipe, and only two Chartreuse Monks (“Carthusians”) are entrusted with the secrets of Chartreuse. Green Chartreuse is the only liqueur in the world with a completely natural green colour and is a powerful and unique herbal liqueur. Chartreuse consists of 130 herbs, botanicals, plants, roots, leaves, vegetation extracts and flowers that are steeped in alcohol to create the liqueur. In addition to 130 plants and flowers, Green Chartreuse is made with alcohol and sugar resulting in a 55% ABV liqueur, packaged in an elegant traditional Chartreuse bottle finished with the embossed seal of La Grande Chartreuse.

TASTING NOTES

Green Chartreuse provides several flavours in the palate with hints of vanilla, cinnamon, liquorice, honey, clove and citrus fruits. With vibrant aromas of spices, herbs, and soufflé, Green Chartreuse has a sweet and full-body flavour with intense warming peppercorn and oil notes finished with a long and lingering spice, herb and pepper fade. To bring out all its flavour, it should be consumed very cold, even on the rocks. Traditionally considered an after dinner drink, these days Green Chartreuse is more and more being enjoyed as a long drink. In France, where it has long been consigned to the “digestif” cupboard, Chartreuse is showing a newfound confidence and audacity.

SUZE

Considered an essential aperitif in France, Suze owes its reputation to two major benefits: the flavour of wild gentian with its hint of bitterness on the palate, and a slender bottle designed by Henry Porte and the end of the 19th century. Suze is a bitter French aperitif made from the gentian root, which grows in the mountains of Switzerland and France. In 1889, Fernan Moureaux had the idea of distilling gentian roots while trying to create and original aperitif based on something other than wine. For the last 120 years, Suze has been made using the same traditional methods with maceration and distillation the key stages in producing its unique taste.

TASTING NOTES

Suze is an excellent aperitif drink that can be taken neat, on ice or diluted with orange juice, tonic or Crème de Cassis. This famous liqueur forms an ideal base for cocktails with its golden colour and hint of bitterness at 15% ABV. Suze is great mixed with tonic or orange juice. In Switzerland, it is mixed with cola and in Japan, the long drinks Suze ginger ale and Suze orange are much appreciated by the younger demographic. Fittingly, World Class 2016 Global Winner, France’s Jennifer Le Nechet employed the use of Suze in cocktails at the Global Final in Miami.

D.O.M Bénédictine, known simply as Bénédictine is a subtle blend of 27 plants and spices, sourced from all over the world. These are selected from the five continents with quality as the sole criterion of choice. Bénédictine has an extremely complex production cycle that takes around two years to complete. The result is an amber coloured liqueur, highlighted by pleasant and powerful aromas. In the final blend of Bénédictine the process is completed with honey and an infusion of saffron added to the blend, the saffron being responsible for the amber hue in Bénédictine.

D.O.M BÉNÉDICTINE

TASTING NOTES

Bénédictine is one of the stronger liqueurs at 40% ABV. It has a light herbal aroma with a dose of sweet honey notes. Herbs and spice are complimented with fresh and warm bursts to create a lingering finish. Bénédictine may be taken neat, or on the rocks, but also forms a key part in some classic cocktails such as the Bobby Burns, B&B (Brandy and Bénédictine) and the famed Singapore Sling.