Maraschino Liqueur

What is Maraschino Liqueur?:

Maraschino is a cherry flavored liqueur that is made from Marasca cherries. The pits of the cherries are included in the fermentation and contribute a slight bitter almond flavor to the clear, dry spirit. Maraschino was developed in Italy where it received its name. It was also used as one of the original preservatives for the maraschino cherries used regularly as cocktail garnishes, though today the cherries themselves are typically sweeter varieties.

The liqueur is pronounced using the Italian mare-uh-SKEE-no while the cherries are typically pronounced mare-uh-SHEE-no.

The Taste of Maraschino Liqueur:

Modern production of maraschino liqueur varies greatly from distillery and some include other varieties of cherries or ingredients. Typically, you can expect "maraschino" liqueurs to be drier than "cherry" liqueurs, which can be very sweet. The juice from maraschino cherries is also sweeter and not a recommended substitute for maraschino liqueur.

Maraschino can be served straight or on the rocks and makes a wonderful digestif. It has also been used in many cocktails for over a century and is included in many of the great classic cocktails including the Martinez, the so-called "grandfather" of the Martini.

Maraschino Liqueur Cocktails:

• 4 Point Cocktail
• Angel's Tit
• Aviation
• Beachcomber
• Belle Notte
• Biltmore
• Bridal Cocktail
• Club Cocktail
• Creole Cocktail
• Emerson
• Hemingway Cocktail
• Imperial
• Last Word
• Martinez
• Organic Sensation
• Polar Cocktail
• Rising Sun
• Tuxedo
• Watermelon Wave
• Weep No More

Example Brands of Maraschino Liqueur:

• Bols
• Briottet Maison Edmond
• Giffard Marasquin
• Luxardo (most popular)
• Maraska
• Schladerer
• Toschi

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PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur:

Made with all-natural California pomegranate juice, premium vodka and "a touch" of tequila, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur is the first premium pomegranate-flavored liqueur available. Ruby red in color with a sweet, yet tart, thick flavor, PAMA is a great representation of the real "forbidden fruit" and can transform a variety of cocktails into an exotic explosion of the recently rediscovered flavor.

• 34 Proof (17% abv)
• Produced by PAMA Spirits Co. a subsidiary of Heaven Hill Distilleries
• Retails for around $25 per 750mL bottle
• Visit their website

Add a Twist of PAMA:

PAMA is a versatile liqueur that can be mixed into a number of cocktails. It pairs especially well with club soda, Champagne, grapefruit juice and ginger ale and is an exotic sipper when served straight on the rocks with a lemon twist. The visual appeal of a PAMA cocktail is just as stunning and universal as the flavor; romantic enough for Valentine's Day and inviting for Christmas as well as having tropical feel for summer occasions.

PAMA Cocktails:

• American Dream
• Blushing Lady
• Mulled PAMA Warmer
• PAMA Ginger-tini
• PAMA Martini
• PAMA Paradise
• PAMA Pine
• PAMA-Tiki
• PAMA Tropical Cooler
• Pomegranate Gin Fizz
• Pomegranate Poinsettia

PAMA as a Substitute:

Many of the cocktails we think of everyday can be made into a pomegranate-flavored variation by either adding PAMA to the recipe or substituting it for another ingredient.

• Champagne Cocktail- replace brandy with PAMA and skip the bitters
• Cosmopolitan- replace the vodka with PAMA
• Margarita- replace the sour mix with PAMA
• Mimosa- 3 oz PAMA and 1 oz Champagne
• Mojito- use 1 oz of rum and 1 oz of PAMA
• Negroni- replace Campari with PAMA
• Sea Breeze- replace vodka with PAMA

PAMA in Food:

The flavor of pomegranate is a wonderful addition to many types of food and PAMA Liqueur can be used to obtain that flavor. The manageable alcohol content of the liqueur makes it perfect for infusing in glazes and dressing, adds flavor to fruit salads and appetizers when drizzled on top and adds sweetness to salsa.

• Buttermilk-Banana Pancakes with Pomegrante Syrup
• Pomegranate Salsa

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Ginger Liqueur

Definition: Ginger liqueur can be made with a variety of ginger. Herbs are often added along with the ginger to a base spirit which is most commonly brandy, although rum and neutral spirits are also used. Ginger brandy is often used to describe ginger-flavored brandy which is the most common ginger-flavored liqueur available.

Drinks with Ginger Liqueur:

Also Known As: Ginger Brandy

Examples:

• Canton Ginger Liqueur
• GE Massenez Creme de Gingebre
• Homer's Ginger Cordial
• Mohawk Extra Sharp Ginger Brandy

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What is Absinthe Liqueur?

Definition: Absinthe is an anise-flavored spirit that was originally 136 proof and made with grande wormwood. It is typically made by distilling neutral grain spirits with herbs, predominately anise, florence fennel and grande wormwood. Other herbs such as angelica root, coriander, dittany leaves, hyssop, juniper, nutmeg, melissa, star anise, sweet flag, and veronica are also used. The color of the distillate is clear and is often bottled this way in a style known as Blanche or la Bleue, but it is also often found with a bright green hue. The coloring is added, either through the chlorophyll from steeping herbs like hyssop, melissa and petite wormwood in the liquor or adding artificial coloring.

This potent liqueur was outlawed in many countries for years following many instances of harmful effects and even deaths of drinkers, most of which were due to over indulgence of the green spirit. Since the 95 year absinthe ban was lifted in the United States in 2007, many brands have been released with lower thujone levels. During the bans homemade absinthe kits became popular, however this can be dangerous. For instance too much wormwood or the use of wormwood extract can be poisonous.

Abisante, Anisette, Pernod and Herbsaint are often used to replace Absinthe in cocktail recipes.

Absinthe is commonly classified as a liqueur, however it does not contain any sugar and is actually a liquor.

It is not recommended to drink absinthe straight. In fact there is an "appropriate" way to drink absinthe complete with specially designed spoons and glasses.

National Absinthe Day is March 5.

How to Make Absinthe - from Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com Guide to Chemistry

Absinthe Brands Available in the United States:

• Kubler Absinthe
• La Fee Absinthe
• Lucid Absinthe
• Mata Hari Absinthe
• Pernod Absinthe

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Gran Gala Orange Liqueur

The Bottom Line

GranGala Triple Orange Liqueur is a delightful brandy-based orange liqueur from Trieste, Italy. It is blended with sun-ripened Mediterranean oranges and the combination of that citrus with the Italian VSOP creates a lovely, rich liqueur. GranGala is an excellent cocktail ingredient and is also delightful sipped straight or on the rocks. The best part of the GranGala experience is that the taste is comparable to the likes of Grand Marnier, but it is half the price.

Pros

• Brandy based orange liqueur for half the price of others - Grand Marnier on a budget.
• Sweet, full orange flavor.
• Great cocktail mixer.
• Opens up in warm cocktails.

Cons

Description

• Italian liqueur with a VSOP brandy base and flavor from Mediterranean oranges.
• Produced in Trieste, Italy
• Imported by Sazerac Co., New Orleans, Louisiana
• 40% alc/volume (80 proof)
• Retails for around $20/750ml bottle
• Gold Medal Winner at the 2008 San Fransisco World Spirits Competition
• 94 points at Beverage Tasting Institute - rated #1 orange liqueur in Margarita tasting

Guide Review - Gran Gala Orange Liqueur

A visit to GranGala's website and the tagline "Italy's Answer to Grand Marnier" will attest to the fact that the brand is not scared of taking on the popular Grand Marnier and they have a right to show up this comparison - as I will because it is the best side-by-side available. Interestingly, in an orange liqueur test in the Margarita at the Beverage Tasting Institute in 2002, GranGala was rated the highest and Grand Marnier #3.

First of all, I really like Grand Marnier, but I also use quite a bit of orange liqueur for Margaritas, Napoleons, D'Artagnans and the like, however, it is not always feasible to keep a $40 bottle in stock. When it's a choice between a top shelf tequila or a spendy liqueur, the tequila will almost always win out. This is where GranGala comes in because it is a great, rich orange liqueur for only $20, and when you weigh that against an unfulfilling $10 triple sec, the GranGala is the best option. What GranGala does is prove that "the best" is subjective and just as you may not always stock Beefeater, but that bottle of Gordon's is always around, so it goes with orange liqueur.

That said, GranGala is a superb cocktail ingredient. I've used it a lot in my Toddy Collection experiments because it is excellent warm and drinks like the lush Chocolate Spice Martini and the Amore Frizzante show off its full spectrum.

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