Cordials
 

I’ve started getting back into an after dinner cordial after giving them up years ago.

Favorites from the past:

Drambuie - all honey and scotch and herbal.
Cherry Heering - Mrs BV kind of spoiled it by telling me it reminded her of cough medicine
Vandermint - chocolate mint. What’s not to like?

i went shopping after my FIL and I killed a couple old bottles. I was disappointed with the poor selection at Publix and will be looking next week at ABC. The FIL is a Gran Marnier drinker. I was surprised at the many orange flavored cordials on the shelf. I bought 2 bottles.

Tia Maria - coffee liquor from Italy that my parents used to enjoy
Licor 43 - Spanish vanilla and orange and honey. The jury’s still out on this one.

Recommendations? Your favorites?

Cordial obviously has a different meaning in the US. In UK & Ireland it refers to a fruit juice concentrate.

i think the closest description would be a digestif or a liqeuer?

My wife is partial to a Baileys, my father back in the day would be a Drambuie and my mother a Cointreau. I’d drink a Limoncello if offered (has anyone ever ordered and paid for Limoncello rather than given on the house?). But the only digestif I’d order would be a brandy or an armagnac.

i have a friend who loves Poire William.

My preferences would be, in order:

1. Cognac
2. Armagnac
3. Brandy (primarily from Germain-Robin)
4. Johnett from Etter

I find Licor 43 to be too sweet. I'll tolerate Grand Marnier with the right amount of ice, but I'd rather have it mixed into a sabayon and dolloped over some fresh berries. (I've never gotten into ouzo, sambuca, etc. I don't really like that flavor profile, but probably also traces back to some bad experiences in college. <shudder>)

My parents have always liked Bailey's but I find it to be a bit...generic and chemical-y. So I've gotten them drinking Amarula instead.

In addition to Drambuie, I also keep B&B and Tuaca around. But for something with an oomph, I always go with a good amaro.

Some that I commonly find on the shelf are most likely used in other concoctions. Amaretto, anissette, Creme de menthe, Kahlua may all be drunk by themselves but are more likely to be found mixed with other ingredients. Even Drambuie can be mixed with scotch for a rusty nail, although I had way too many the night before my wedding 44 years ago and am unable to face another yet.

Another wedding? :D

I am going to inherit a bottle of Vandermint one day - it is a ceramic bottle, older than I am. We don't dare open it, as who knows what might combust out of there. But it is a very pretty bottle!

Call me boring, but for a digestif I just like some scotch...or maybe a cognac. Once in a great while maybe some fernet.

I don't drink cordials/liqueurs by themselves as they tend to be too sweet for me.

I started making my own version of Bailey's a few years ago around the holidays and the bottled versions simply cannot compare to the deliciousness of a freshly blended batch :)

If you post a recipe, maybe I can find a way to make something I can drink. Baileys has dairy in it which I cannot digest. But substituting say, coconut cream, might work for me.

Many years ago, Chambord advertised on billboards: Cognac + Chambord + Chauffage

Warm over a candle a mix of Chambord and French brandy. Delicious

Maraschino ~ very good over ice, no cough syrup aftertaste.
Creme de Cassis ~ Kir/Kir Royale classic.
Marie Brizard Apry ~ Apricot Sour due to make a stylish comeback.
Fragoli Wild Strawberry ~ tiny berries in the bottle~ what's not to love.
Poire William(s) ~ or any fruit eau-de-vie~ crisp. Nice to sub for gin or vodka in a cocktail.

Fingers crossed that I can find more than one of those. The wild strawberry sounds incredible.

I thought a fruit juice concentrate was called a shrub. Maybe I have that wrong - running to Wikipedia. Nope. Squash was the word I was looking for.

Luxardo Maraschino should be easy to find. Straw-wrapped bottle.
There are American craft distillers that offer similar products to the imports.
I forgot Mandarine Napoleon~ more tangerine than orange, which is a nice change from Grand Marnier.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1fb1366c4.jpeg
I enjoy Amarula with coffee, a lot tastier than Bailey's. Above is Finnair J HEL-JFK. Aside from them I know SAA carries it (obviously), would be nice to know which other carriers have it.