By Callisto Lee
A blend of pleasantly tasting liqueur doesn’t just come out of the blue. A host of ingredients are delicately mixed to produce a drink that you will never stop loving to taste – it’s cheers to a good life. All liqueurs have specific compositions that are common to them. Top brands – like 2XL Swagger brands have a secret formula that imposes uniqueness on their products. What are the typical ingredients in every bottle or glass of liqueur? This write-up is put together to answer that question.
Base Alcohol
The base alcohol is the most critical component of a liqueur. We would only have a mixture of some substances without the base alcohol, by the way. In most cases, the alcohol aids in extracting juice out of fruit – which is then added to give your liqueur its flavor. Plus, the base alcohol used in liqueur production can be over 50% alcohol by volume. The stronger or higher the alcohol content, the fuller it will be when you sip it. Vodka registers as the most common base alcohol used in making liqueur. Other commonly used ones include rum, cognac, gin, and whiskey.
Sweetener
The sweetener added to liqueur is one of the ingredients that distinguish it from liquor, devoid of added sugar. Liqueurs should have sugar of about 2.5%. Nonetheless, the quantity of sugar added to liqueur may vary based on individual taste or preference – in the instance where you have homemade liqueur. Again, the sugar content variation may be hinged on the type of liqueur. More notably, the volume or quantity of sweetener added to a liqueur could significantly affect its alcohol content. It is, however, good to know that other items can be used in sweetening liqueur than ordinary table sugar – which is notable for making the drink cloudy in some instances. Some liqueurs are sweetened with honey, stevia, brown sugar, maple syrup, etc. Helping give you that bright and vibrant taste that you’re searching for.
Flavoring
A good liqueur should also have some flavors incorporated into it. This gives it an appealing aroma that draws you even closer to a glass of your favorite liqueur. A wide array of ingredients can be used in flavoring liqueurs. Chocolates, nuts, and fruits (like bananas, raspberries, oranges, lemon, etc.) have been vastly utilized. Besides, herbs and spices (such as peppermint, blossom, vervain, licorice root, cinnamon, camomile, juniper berries, etc.) are also sources of flavor in the production of liqueur. These herbs and spices are remarkable for the antioxidant property they impose on the liqueur. So, you will not only get a flavorsome liqueur by adding any of these herbs and spices but also have a drink that delivers tremendous health benefits.
The quality of a liqueur is a function of its ingredients, and you do not have to settle for less. In essence, you shouldn’t forget to look for the very best the time you are out to pick up that bottle of liqueur to cool off with.
