Sambuca is an Italian spice liqueur, where the main flavor is anise, which is obtained from star anise. Sambuca was developed by Angelo Molinari in 1945. Angelo ran a coffee bar in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 1930, but after World War II he moved back to his birthplace in Civitavecchia. In…
Licor 43 is the most famous and best-selling Spanish liqueur. It was developed in 1946 in Cartagena, southeast Spain. The recipe was created by Diego Zamora's family, who still own and produce the liqueur. As its name suggests, the liqueur contains 43 different herbs, spices, flowers, roots and fruits. The main…
There are two types of cocoa liqueurs, brown/dark made from cocoa beans and light/transparent made from distilled cocoa ingredients. Light cocoa liqueur is usually made from cocoa beans/fat that has been distilled to create a cocoa-flavored, colorless concentrate. The cocoa concentrate is then mixed with alcohol, water and sugar to make…
Green mint liqueur is a very distinctive bottle on the shelves of bars. The liqueur is made by distilling lemon oil and mint leaves. The finished distillate, which is clear, very minty and fresh, is mixed with water and sugar. The finishing touch is given by food coloring, which gives the…
Halti is the highest fell (1324 m) in Finland, but the alcohol brand named by it is made by Estonian Apricot Distillery. This product series also has a vodka, which have both traditional 40%, but also 80% strength versions. Halti Salmiakki must have been made for Finnish tourists which are visiting…
The Dutch company Lucas Bols is one of the oldest distilleries. Today, it mainly focuses on producing liqueurs, which Bols has quite a comprehensive selection. There are more than 40 different types of liqueurs in production, and the company also produces genever, vodka, gin and other alcohols. In addition to its…
Liquorice, and especially liquorice enriched with ammonium chloride, is a very Finnish phenomenon. Salted liquorice is also produced and sold in other countries, at least in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, but its consumption is highest in Finland. Everyone in Finland is familiar with various kinds of salted liquorice caramels, and…
Lucas Bols is one of Europe's largest liqueur manufacturers. In the Baltic countries, Bols together with DeKuyper are the most common imported liqueur brands. Bols's range of liqueurs is quite comprehensive and several of their liqueurs have been reviewed in this blog as well. The cardamom-flavored liqueur is a special batch…
St. Germain was the first liqueur made from elderflowers, and the young company that produced it immediately blew up the bank. Elderflower liqueur quickly grew in popularity and, especially among bartenders, it rose to the status of "salt and pepper" as a cocktail flavoring. As you might expect, other liquor manufacturers…
Wenneker is a Dutch beverage company, founded in 1812. During its history, the company has produced several alcoholic beverages and also owned many distilleries, but today it mainly focuses on liqueurs. Wenneker is less known than bigger Dutch players DeKuyper and Bols. But in innovation, the smaller ones often win. Carrot…