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CATEGORY REPORT july 2017 / the tasting panel / 87 Tasting Notes SomruS "Alphonso" Mango Cream Liqueur With a nose of freshly sliced mango, this tropical treat at 27 proof offers an ideally delicate aroma. The cream is voluptuous, the fruit stays pure and a slight zing of cayenne seems to tease the tongue. 90 —Meridith May SOMPRIYA FINE SPIRITS, LLC Not Your Grandma's Mango Shake recipe by Kyle Braggs, Chicago ◗ 2 oz. SomruS Alphonso Mango Cream Liqueur ◗ 2 oz. blanco tequila ◗ 1½ oz. spiced rum ◗ 1 oz. simple syrup ◗ 6 dashes orange bitters Combine all ingredients in a blender with ice to taste. Blend, pour into a cocktail glass and splash with ginger ale. Express orange peel on top. Cheers! Tasting India with SOMRUS ALPHONSO MANGO LIQUEUR SomruS Original Indian Cream Liqueur (SRP $25) made huge waves when it hit the market in Fall of 2014 and got named "Cream Liqueur of the Year" by prestigious New York International Spirits Competition. Its classic Eastern flavors—cardamom, rose, pistachio, almond and saffron—had never been combined into a liqueur. Several more spirits and consumer choice awards later, SomruS, the creation of Pankaj and Swati Garg, founders of SomPriya Fine Spirits, is launching its new expression, SomruS Alphonso Mango Cream Liqueur. India is the world's largest producer of mangos, and it's the Alphonso variety that consum- ers there and abroad look forward to each year. Named for Alfonso de Albuquerque, the Portuguese general who introduced the mango from his homeland through grafting tech- niques, it's the most expensive variety of the fruit. The harvest season is short—April through June—and in that time, the Alphonso finds its way into just about every Indian dish possible, says Garg. When he was thinking of a new flavor to add to the SomruS line, the Alphonso mango was an easy choice. "It's the only Alphonso mango cream liqueur in the world," he says. "It goes really well with reposado tequilas. It makes a fantastic sipping drink or as a shot—we call it the 'The Mango Bomb' (SomruS Alphonso Mango with tequila reposado chased by a slice of mango!). Most people like to have this liqueur on ice, chilled by itself or definitely on ice cream. It's like a mango lassi [an Indian yogurt-based drink] or amras [an Indian mango shake] with a kick." The all-natural rum-based liqueurs are gluten- and preservative-free with industry standard shelf lives, making them a favorite for the health-conscious. Garg also emphasizes their popularity with Millennials and those outside of India. He quips, "Much like how only Irish don't drink Bailey's and only Chinese don't eat Chinese food, 70% to 80% of our consumers are non-Indians!" —Amy Collins LIQUEUR waves when it hit the market in prestigious New York International pistachio, almond and spirits and consumer choice founders of SomPriya of SomPriya of Fine Mango Cream Liqueur. Alphonso variety that variety that variety consum- Alfonso de Albuquerque, the homeland through grafting tech- season is short—April through every Indian every Indian every dish possible, SomruS line, the Alphonso says. "It goes really well really well really shot—we call it the reposado chased by a by a by chilled by itself by itself by or itself or itself yogurt-based drink] or preservative-free with health-conscious. outside of India. of India. of Chinese don't eat —Amy Collins —Amy Collins —Amy