Sweet, often syrupy, and packed with the flavour of herbs, flower blossoms and fruit, it’s hard to imagine a more elegant ending to a feast than a sip of liqueur. But this alcohol has a magical past that often involves witches’ stories and the mystery of secret potions. The word itself seems indulgent with the letter ‘U’ prancing through twice, as if to magnify the fact that this alcohol requires more work and more refinement than most other liquors.
“Many liqueurs started out as medicine. They were what used to be called snake oil. Liqueurs are alcohol infused with lots of sugar and usually at their base, there is some kind of distilled spirit,” said sommelier Richard Repchuk, who offers wine-education classes at Campbell Liquor Store.
Recipes for liqueurs have been found in Egyptian tombs and on ancient Greek scrolls.
“As the trade routes opened, the variety of spices and other ingredients such as ginger, orange and chocolate made their way into liqueurs. Many households had their own distillery and recipes. Some were used for their anesthetic qualities and were used by women during childbirth. Others were imbibed as a digestive aid,” Repchuk said.
Liqueurs such as Chartreuse have been made by monks since the 13th century. Chartreuse is the only true green liqueur and though its recipe remains a secret, its unique colour comes from the maceration of plants while the yellow variety – a lower proof cousin of the green – gets its colour from saffron and its sweetness from honey. It should be served very cold and it’s said that Queen Elizabeth enjoys an after-dinner cocktail of Chartreuse mixed with Champagne.
Some 43 ingredients, including cinnamon, iris flowers and mint are used in the secret recipe for Liquore Strega, which is yellow because of saffron. Whatever it has in it, Liquore Strega is known to be a love potion.
“The legend is that witches in Italy made this potion. Men and women would sit together around a walnut tree. Once they sipped Liquore Strega together from the same glass, they were said to be matched forever.
Love potions aside, Repchuk recommends drinking this sunny-coloured liqueur after dinner.
“It has a subtle aroma and goes well as an addition to ice cream, fruit cocktail and as an ingredient in cakes,” he said.
Secret recipes are part of any liqueur’s mystique, no matter what their country of origin, said Doug Hicks of Hicks Fine Wines.
Hicks enjoys a sip of Drambuie at Christmas along with shortbread, which reflects its Scottish heritage. Drambuie is known as a drink that was served to Bonny Prince Charlie after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The prince had taken sanctuary with Clan MacKinnon on the Isle of Skye and Drambuie was the family’s secret elixir.
“It’s made from an aged single-malt scotch and its ingredients include heather and honey,” Hicks said.
Hicks suggested another liqueur, which may not have a magical or mysterious past, but nonetheless is purely Canadian.
“Try Sortilege Canadian Whiskey and Maple Syrup Liqueur. It’s so sweet you could put it on pancakes. A lot of people put it in the freezer for a while and serve it really cold. It’s also very nice as a ham glaze,” Hicks said.
One more legend needs to be told about Tia Maria, which tastes like vanilla and coffee all mixed into one.
“The legend of Tia Maria dates back to the mid-17th century, when a beautiful young Spanish aristocrat fled from colonial Jamaica. Her maid saved one family treasure, a small jewelry box with black pearl earrings and an ancient manuscript with the recipe for a mysterious liqueur. That woman’s name was Tia Maria,” Repchuk said.
Tia Maria can be used in place of vanilla in cake icings or simply served on the rocks.
“It is an infusion of natural vanilla and the finest fresh coffee roasted to perfection and supplemented with a touch of Jamaican rum. It’s ideal in exotic cocktails,” Repchuk said.
