Maison Giffard is a French liqueur distillery. The company was founded by the pharmacist Emile Giffard in 1885. Emile developed various elixirs to improve digestion in his own pharmacy and launched a clear, transparent mint liqueur as his first product. He offered the liquor to the neighboring hotel and it became very popular among the restaurant’s customers. As the liquor business grew, Emile converted the pharmacy into a distillery and started producing liquors on a larger scale. Giffard is still a family company and is run by descendants in the fifth generation. Today, the company produces almost 100 different liqueurs, syrups and other products. Amaretto is naturally included in the company’s selection. A 70 cl bottle cost €13.99.

The smell is strong and rich. The aroma of bitter almond is very prominent, there is also a fruity, apricot scent in the background. A small chemical note is also perceptible, whether it is the benzaldehyde used in amarettos nowadays. However, the smell is very pleasant. The taste is smooth, refined and gentle. The taste has almond and fruitiness in a very appropriate proportion. The taste has a natural feel, the fine chemical nuance in the aroma is not felt in the taste. The liqueur is sweet of course, but not at all as syrupy as the market leader Disaronno. The sweetness and the bitterness of the bitter almond are very well balanced. Liqueur is enjoyable to sip neat, and as a raw material for drinks, it does its job very well. Amaretto is the first Giffard product that I have seen on sale in Estonia, and let’s assume that other products from the company are also of high quality. Giffard Amaretto is a very good amaretto and can be obtained also by a more demanding bartender instead of Disaronno.

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