Even though the French are convinced that they invented liqueurs, the first true liqueur was probably made when anise berries were added to distilled palm wine in the Eastern Mediterranean as long ago as 800 BC. From this beverage, known even 2,500 years ago as arak, evolved the beloved Greek ouzo, Tunisia's adored boukha, Yugoslavia's much admired rakiji and, many years later, anis without which it is doubtful that France would have survived as a nation.

Even though these pleasant drinks were accepted by the peasants, liqueurs did not enter the consciousness of the upper classes until the ascent of Louis XIV to the French throne. In 1667, when Louis laid siege to the city of Lille he invited four thousand guests to his large and luxurious encampment, from there to watch him assault the fortified town. One of the guests, the Duke of Saint-Simon, wrote that while "the siege itself was quite a bore, there was never a spectacle so brilliant, so astonishing as the hundreds of tables, always freshly laid, that were ready at all times for the entertainment of any officers, courtiers or spectators who might drop in. In addition to marvelous food, there was every sort of liqueur that you can think of, and so popular were these beverages that a small army of couriers had the daily responsibility of bringing in fresh supplies from Normandy, Holland, Brittany, England and the Mediterranean." In his flamboyance, King Louis had ensured that fine liqueurs would forever be part of the culture of the civilized world.

Even though liqueurs come in innumerable different flavors and a carry a host of names, a basic understanding is not difficult to come by. Most liqueurs are sweetened, flavored drinks based on grain alcohol, brandy, whisky, rum, vodka or pure alcohol. To these are added a large variety of nuts, fruits, spices, herbs, seeds, honey or a mixture of syrups. Even though the alcoholic strength of liqueurs varies enormously, nearly all are sweet and because of this they are most often consumed as after dinner drinks. When consumed neat, that is to say, without water or ice, liqueurs should be served at room temperature or just a bit below.

There are two "tricks" that will help in decoding the special language of liqueurs. A liqueur described as "creme" indicates that its flavor is exclusively that of the flavoring named. Creme de menthe is a mint liqueur, creme d'ananas is pineapple liqueur, and so on. One will also do well to keep in mind that Americans sometimes use the term "cordial" and Europeans often say "digestif" when they referring to a liqueur.

Following is a fairly inclusive list of high quality imported liqueurs readily available in local markets and liquor shops. In addition to making marvelous after-dinner drinks, some have special purposes, and these are noted in the listings. In purchasing these liqueurs, one should keep in mind that most are fairly expensive. This should not be a deterrent, however. Because most liqueurs are sipped in small quantities, bottles tend to last a surprisingly long time.

Fruit Liqueurs

Apricot Liqueurs: The best are probably the French abricotine, a delicate drink made from whole apricots steeped in grape brandy and the Italian amaretto, a rich sweet liqueur in which apricot pits yield a surprising almond-like flavor. Amaretto is probably at its best when used as a sauce for vanilla ice cream.

Banana and Pineapple Liqueurs: Creme de bananes and creme d'ananas are made by steeping ripe bananas or pineapple in pure alcohol or rum. Both have a yellow tint and a strong scent of fruit. Banana liqueur is an indispensable ingredient in making banana daiquiris.

Creme de Cassis: An extract of black currants infused in a mixture of rum and molasses, this French liqueur is fairly low in alcohol. Most popular when mixed with white wine to produce the aperitif known as kir (use anywhere from 8 - 10 parts of well chilled dry white wine or sparkling white wine to one part of cassis). Liqueur de framboises, a red raspberry liqueur is similar and is especially good when spooned over sorbets.

Cointreau: This exquisite French liqueur is made with a combination of bitter orange peels from the West Indies, sweet oranges from the Cote d'Azur and a variety of ingredients known only to the manufacturers. In its distinctive square bottle, the clear white Cointreau is probably the world's best known liqueur.

Curacao: This liqueur is based on orange peels from the Caribbean island of Curacao. Even though the Dutch brands are most famous, the liqueur is also made in France and Italy. Less known but similar in taste and quality is Mandarine, a smooth liqueur flavoured with Spanish mandarin oranges and Cognac.

Grand Marnier: Another great French liqueur based on wild oranges from the Caribbean blended with brandy and then redistilled with with sugar and aromatics before aging in oak casks. Indispensable in making duck a l'orange, sweet souffles and flambeed dessert omelets.

Other Orange Liqueurs: Bitter oranges are used widely in liqueurs and there are many of these from France, Spain and South America that go under the rubric of triple-sec. Even though this means "triple-dry", nearly all of these liqueurs are very sweet. Also worthy of note are the Spanish Gran Torres; kumquat, which is made on the Greek island of Corfu; and Turkish mersin. All orange liqueurs are excellent when served with or added to espresso, Turkish coffee or filter coffee (but never add milk if adding liqueur to your coffee).

Pear Liqueurs: Made exclusively from William pears and not overly sweet, the best of these come from Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

Maraschino: Even though this liqueur, originally made in Yugoslavia, is based on sour cherries it is one of the sweetest of all liqueurs. Maraschino is an important ingredient in many cocktails.

Herb Liqueurs

Anis: Aniseed berries are diluted in a neutral spirit to produce this licorice flavored liqueur, the favorite of the Mediterranean area. The best known are called pastis in France, arak in Arabic nations, and ouzo in Greece. Libyan kasra has a similar taste but is based on wine. Greek mastika, with resin added as a flavoring is sweet and milky white. Spanish ojen comes in both sweet and dry types.

Anisette: A sweet and very popular version of anis. The most famous brand of anisette is that of Marie Brizard which has been manufactured in France since 1750.

Benedictine: With its intricate flavor and complex bouquet, this is one of the truly great liqueurs. Originally made by Benedictine monks in Normandy in 1510, the recipe remains a well guarded secret. "B & B", another popular liqueur, is a mixture of brandy and Benedictine.

Chartreuse: Another marvelous French invention, this liqueur is based on a secret recipe that uses 135 herbs and spices infused in brandy. Green Chartreuse is highly potent and has a 55% alcohol content. The yellow version, with 42% alcohol packs just a bit less of a kick. The Italian strega, made with over 70 herbs, is similar.

Galliano: Perhaps the best of all Italian liqueurs, the secret formula of this elixir contains 35 herbs, roots, berries and flowers blended with spirits. Outside of Italy, Galliano is probably best known for its use in making the Harvey Wallbanger cocktail. To make this refreshing drink, mix together four measures of orange juice and half a measure of vodka and on this float half a measure of Galliano.

Goldwasser: A German invention flavored with cumin, caraway and other herbs, this popular liqueur actually contains tiny specks of gold. Silberwasser is similar but contains flakes of silver.

Other Liqueurs

Advocaat: This excellent Dutch liqueur is made with grape brandy and egg yolks. Low in alcohol (17%), it may sometimes also have added orange, lemon or vanilla flavors. An excellent addition to coffee or hot chocolate.

Chocolate Liqueurs: The basic chocolate liqueur is creme de cacao, a sweet combination of cocoa beans infused with vanilla to produce a chocolate-flavored liqueur. This is sometimes combined with other flavors, among them cherries, coconut, mint or oranges. Other good chocolate liqueurs include Cheri Suisse from Switerland, Marie Brizard Cacao from France and Vandermint from Holland.

Coffee Liqueurs: Creme de cafe is a very popular liqueur made by infusing coffee with a sprit, frequently rum. Tia Maria from Jamaica, is made with the world famous Blue Mountain coffee, Kahlua is Mexican; Marie Brizard Cafe is French. Other notable products are the Turkish Pasha and the Brazilian Bahia. Even though the basis for genuine Irish coffee is the liqueur known as Irish Velvet, any chocolate liqueur is excellent for making that marvelous drink.

Drambuie: Scotland's contribution to superb liqueurs, Drambuie is made from aged malt whisky, honey and herbs. This is justifiably known as one of the best liqueurs in the world.

Irish Cream Liqueurs: Some of these Irish offerings contain chocolate, coffee or honey in addition to Irish whiskey, other spirits and sweet cream. Although technically not considered liqueurs, they have become extremely popular in the last 20 years.

Creme de Menthe: Served without water in small liqueur glasses or over crushed ice, when it is called a creme de menthe frappe, this is an extremely popular and not too potent liqueur. Best brands are Marie Brizard, Bols, Giffard and Pipperrmint Git.

Nut Liqueurs: Nocino from Italy is made from walnuts; the Italian Frangelico and the French Noisette are based on hazelnuts. Creme de noix is also made from walnuts, boasts the addition of honey and is sometimes called eau-de-vie de noix. The French creme d'amandes, made from almonds is often used in baking.

© Daniel Rogov