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A Liqueur is an alcoholic drink sweetened and given flavoring by plants, fruits and/or herbs. They are those mysterious colorful potions in odd shaped bottles you sometimes see on the shelves at your local liquor merchant or perhaps you have procured some of these for your home. They are meant to catch your eye, and are also pleasing on the palate. There are a number of ways to blend flavoring into alcohol, but the two main ones are by infusion and by percolation.
The Infusion method:
Plants, fruits or herbs are steeped or soaked in alcohol until the flavors are completely absorbed. The flavored spirit is then distilled for further intensity.
The Percolation method:
Similar to making coffee. A spirit such as brandy is placed in the bottom part of an apparatus that resembles a coffee percolator. The upper compartment is filled with the flavoring agent. With the use of heat, either the vapors of the brandy rise and creep into the flavoring agents and the liquid is again recondensed or the alcoholic liquid is pumped over the flavoring agents bringing the added flavor to the blend.
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After either of these methods are completed, the flavored sprit is now sweetened with sugar, syrup or honey. After distilling, the liquid us usually colorless so coloring may be added if desired, such as the familiar mint green hue of the crème de menthe. The blend is then finely filtered. Some are aged in wood, others are bottled right away. Some well known liqueurs are Drambuie,
made from Scotch malt whisky and heather honey, Irish Mist is
made from fine Irish whiskey and also uses heather honey. Grand Marnier; a
liqueur whose spirit base is cognac. B & B; a blend of Benedictine and brandy
and Chartreuse are also quite popular.
Winebow represents these Liqueur producers
 Aquaperfecta
Argiolas - LLS
Borsci - LLS
Caprinatura - LLS
D'Aristi Xtabentun
F. Meyer
Granier Mon Pastis
Kalani
Luxardo
Mandarine Napoleon
Montbisou
Following
this link will take you to the Producer's web site.
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