Your chocolate and tipple fixes can come together to create
something deliciously beautiful for your sweet teeth
Lent, the 40-day period between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday devoted to fasting, abstinence and penitence, commemorating Christ’s wilderness fasting. I have been known to give up chocolate for Lent and by the time Easter Sunday arrives I am champing at the bit for something sweet, usually in the form of an Easter egg, or two.
However, as a grown up, in age if not in temperament, my thoughts now turn towards other ways in which to get my chocolate fix, while indulging in a little alcoholic refreshment at the same time.
When it comes to a tipple, I am always keen to explore unexpected links; in this case with the fashion industry. At the time of writing we have seen the launch of Fashion Week in New York, London, Milan, and Paris.
Apparently, the hottest shade for this winter, pioneered by Victoria Beckham no less, has been chocolate brown. Rich and dark as its name suggests, chocolate is officially the new black. Naturally, when a bunch of fashionistas get together, they will want to party, so with admittedly a very tenuous link, in an effort to keep up with changing trends, and the constant urge to develop and market “new” drinks, chocolate liqueurs have been gaining popularity, so here are a few to tempt your taste buds.
Baileys – Chocolat Luxe Liqueur – £12, 15.7%abv. (50cl.) This is sure to appeal to lovers of Baileys Original Irish Cream, with its Irish whiskey base, joined by the addition of cream, Madagascar vanilla and Belgian chocolate. It is described as being “a decadent treat, like pure, unadulterated molten chocolate, a luxurious velvety experience”.
Aber Falls – Coffee & Dark Chocolate Liqueur – £19, 20.6%abv. (70cl.) This rich, indulgent liqueur from Aber Falls in Abergwyngregyn, Wales is inspired by the popular Espresso Martini. It aims to balance the roasted, aromatic coffee flavour with the bittersweet hints of dark chocolate. Smooth as silk and rich in flavour, with a sweet finish, the makers recommend combining it with dark rum and whisky aged in Sherry casks.
Briottet – Creme de Cacao (White) – £21.10, 25%abv. (70cl.) This is a high-quality cocoa liqueur from a French artisan producer. All their range have proper “real” fruit flavour integrity, tasting of the fruit or bean itself, not some “manufactured” flavouring. In this case, a lingering dark chocolate flavour with a little spice and vanilla. Made with cocoa beans from Ghana which are roasted and then macerated in alcohol, it is crystal clear in colour and has a delicate milk chocolate aroma.
Jaffa 2512 – Not Terrys Chocolate Orange Gin Liqueur – £27.10, 20%abv. (50cl.) Sweet, yet with a zesty freshness, juniper, cocoa and orange botanicals marry well with the incredible chocolate notes on the nose; deliciously smooth, with a finish that leaves you wanting more.
La Maison Fontaine – Chocolat – £27.50, 25%abv. (70cl.) As an Absinthe lover, I was thrilled to discover this, inspired by a hand-written recipe for Creme de Cacao found in a recipe book dating back to the 1920s. It has been carefully refined using a combination of the Pontarliergrown Grande Absinthe and the finest chocolate infusion. A unique soft liqueur, its sweet richness, combines with notes of absinthe and chocolate to create the perfect after dinner drink to enjoy neat or poured over ice.
ARTICLE FEATURED IN SOMERSET LIVING - APRIL 2019
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