Happy National Liqueur Day! Derived from the Latin “liquifacere,” (“to dissolve or melt”) it’s believed that liqueurs have been around since 400 BC. The story goes that Egyptians and Greeks would distill wine to produce fortified spirits and then sweeten them with cinnamon and honey. These days, there is an amazing array of liqueurs on the market, traditional and brand-new. Today is the perfect day to make cocktails with some of the most popular and interesting liqueurs available: Amaro Montenegro, Cynar, Aperol, or Yellow or Green Charteuse. The time has come to celebrate the often unsung heroes of alcohol beverages, the cocktail enhancers that play sidekick to name brand spirits. Since it’s also National Boss’ Day, consider buying a 375ml or 750ml bottle of liqueur for your boss or, if you’re a bartender, creating a signature shot or cocktail featuring a liqueur and naming it after your owner or manager.
Here are some fantastic cocktail recipes that use liqueurs, straight from our extensive collection:
The Absolut Best Dressed is made with peach liqueur and also Lillet Blanc, a blend of wine and liqueurs.
A cocktail made with two liqueurs, Diarios de Motocicleta (Motorcycle Diaries) features Yellow Chartreuse and Merlet Trois Citrus.
The Grand Marnier Smash is made with the eponymous liqueur, which was created in 1880.
A cocktail that uses Aperol, the Avión Papaya Smash is a refreshing tequila cocktail.
Another cocktail that features Aperol, the Paper Plane also calls for the use of Amaro Nonino.
