Vocabulary:

6.Types of liqueur

Liqueur is an alcoholic drink made from an infusion of fruit, herbs, nuts or other flavour to brandy or other spirits. It can be strong - 35% and 45% alcohol by volume, dessert – 25% - 30% alcohol by volume and cream liqueur – 20% - 30%. Among the popular liqueurs are:

• Advocate – made from fresh egg yolk, sugar and brandy, it is originally from Holland.

• Anisette – a clear liqueur made from anise seed and flavoured with bitter almonds.

• Aquavit – a clear liqueur flavoured with caraway seeds from Scandinavian countries.

• Benedictine – a liqueur made by Benedictine monks out of a secret formula, which is a combination of herbs, spice and fine brandy.

• Chartreuse – Cordial made by the Chartreuse order of monks. Its colors are yellow and green and are made of many ingredients such as spices, herbs, roots, etc.

• Sherry – Spanish wine, uniquely aged in barrels.

• Triple sec – liqueur with orange flavour made from peel of bitter and sweet oranges.

• Cointrean – a brandy of triple sec and orange Curacao.

• Crème de Cacao – made from cacao beans, spices and vanilla. It comes in two colours – white and brown.

• Crème de menthe – a peppermint liqueur made from fresh mint and brandy.

• Curacao triple sec – made form the peel of bitter oranges and enriched with spices, rum and sugar.

• Drambuie – a liqueur made from old Scotch, honey, herbs and spices.

• Grand Marnier - made from fine champagne, cognac and orange curacao.

• Kahlua (Kailua) - a Mexican liqueur made from coffee beans , vanilla and brandy.

• Kirshwasser – a liqueur made from wild black cherries.

• Pernod – made from licorice.

• Southern comfort – made in the USA from a secret formula.

So, the main types of liqueurs are: Chocolate liqueurs, Coffee liqueurs, Cream liqueurs, Fruit liqueurs, Berry liqueurs, Flower liqueurs, Herbal liqueurs: Anise-flavored liqueurs and other herbal liqueurs, Nut-flavored liqueurs, Whisky liqueurs, etc.

7.The Quick Trick

Liqueurs are for nuts (hazelnuts, almonds), cordials are for fruit (lemon, orange, etc). And schnapps—well, just remember, they’re not sweetened.

If you’re looking for a basic rule , remember this: Cordials are liquors made from fruit or fruit juice, while liqueurs are alcoholic drinks made from seeds, herbs, or nuts. So Triple sec, Sloe gin, Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Curaçao, Brandy, Kir, Framboise, and Chambord are cordials. On the other hand, Jägermeister, Pernod, Kahlúa, Amaretto, Frangelico, Strega, and Chartreuse are liqueurs. ( Beware! In England, the word cordial usually refers to a sweetened drink that is not alcoholic—Rose’s Lime Cordial is an example.)

While the difference between liqueurs and cordials isn’t always clear, the one between aperitifs and digestives is. Aperitifs are drunk before dinner, to help stimulate the appetite. Classic aperitifs include the Martini, the Manhattan, the Old-Fashioned, and the Sidecar. Digestives are, obviously, to aid digestion, and are drunk after dinner. You can also finish your meal with one of these digestives : the White (or Black) Russian, the Brandy Alexander, Kahlúa, the Grasshopper, Daiquiri, Amaretto, port, or cognac.