Liquor Guide

Compared to the doctors of the Far East and the shamans of the New World, the scientists and apothecaries of Europe in the Middle Ages knew relatively little about the healing properties of plants and herbs, and what knowledge they had was confined to a select few. Most monasteries of the day had an apothecary, whose chief responsibility was to meddle with fruits, herbs, and spices in order to create healing elixirs. The resulting liquors can still be found today in bars all over the world, though their "healing properties" are somewhat questionable.

The word liquor takes its root from the Latin word meaning to melt or to dissolve. Today liquor refers to the beverage of flavored brandy, whisky, or other spirit, which provides the base for the liquor. Typically, each monastery created a single elixir and perfected it. This liquor became the pride of the monastery and the community. Today, the variety of liquors available in bars and stores makes keeping them straight nearly as dizzying as consuming them.

The following is a flavor guide for some of the more common liquors:

Advocaat: Egg yolks and vanilla
Amaretto: Almonds
Ananas: Pineapple and vanilla
Anisette: Anise seed
Aquavit: Caraway seed
Benedictine: Angelica
Cacao: Cacao beans and vanilla
Cafe: Coffee
Calvados: Apples
Cassis: Black currants
Cerise: Cherries
Chambord: Raspberries
Chartreuse: Distilled wine alcohol and a blend of herbs
Cointreau: Oranges
Creme de Noyaux: apricot and peach kernels
Cuarenta y Tres: Vanilla
Curacao: Rum and orange
Drambuie: Scotch, herbs and honey
Framboise: Rasberries
Frangelico: Hazelnuts
Galliano: Anise seed
Grand Marnier: Oranges
Grenadine: Pomegranate
Irish Cream: Irish whiskey and cream
Kahlua: Coffee
Kirsch: Cherry
Kummel: Anise seed and cumin
Maraschino: Maraschino cherries
Menthe: Peppermint
Metaxa: Brandy, wine, and a blend of herbs including rose leaves
Midori: Melons
Orgeat: Almonds and orange
Ouzo: Anise seed
Parfait Amour: Lemon and vanilla
Pernod: Anise and herbs
Raki: Grapes, anise seed, and fig
Sambucca: Licorice
Sloe Gin: Blackthorn berries
Southern Comfort: Peaches and bourbon
Triple Sec: Oranges

Hopefully this list will provide a good starting place for sampling the rich and ancient variety of liquors, even if none of them are the elixir of long life that the original creators hoped for.