Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/14611
TRENDS The Emperor’s Favorite: Mandarine Napoléon E verything about Mandarine Napoléon Grande Liqueur Impériale(PREISS IMPORTS) is enthralling. Even the story behind it makes you want to love the stuff. After the fi rst sniff, sip and swallow, you’ll know your instincts were right. Mandarines from China were fi rst introduced in Europe at the end of the 18th century. They quickly became a favorite delicacy of Napoléon Bonaparte. The Emperor went so far as to eat mandarine peels soaked in cognac. Count Antoine- François de Fourcroy found inspiration in that. A member of the imperial court and Napoléon’s personal physician, Fourcroy began cultivating the tangerine-like fruit on Corsica and soon after created a cognac-based liqueur imbued with the essence of the exotic fruit. That Napoléon was smitten with the elixir is a matter of historical record. The recipe for Mandarine Napoléon has remained in the family ever since, as has the Fourcroy Distillery in Brussels. The liqueur is made from tangerines grown in orchards on Sicily and the sun-drenched coast of Spain near Valencia, the peels of which are macerated in fi ne spirits for weeks to fully capture their essence. That oil-infused alcohol is distilled three times with a secret mix of 27 herbs, spices and botanicals before being aged in French oak barrels for two years. The spirits are blended with well-aged cognac, fi ltered and bottled at 40% alcohol by volume. No wonder the Emperor was captivated. Mandarine Napoléon has a lustrous amber/orange color, a generous body and an enticing fresh citrus and fl oral bouquet. The liqueur bathes the palate with a warm luxurious array of tangerine, spice, vanilla and brandy. Its persistence of fl avor is one reason the elixir is a highly sought-after ingredient in cocktails. In fact, Mandarine Napoléon may well be a beverage program in a bottle. —R.P. Vive La Diff érence! Although new to the American market, Combier Liqueur d’Orange (CADRE NOIR IMPORTS) is a veritable fi xture behind European bars. In addition to its brilliant and thoroughly engaging character, Combier is distinguished for being the fi rst triple sec and the world’s oldest crystal clear orange liqueur. The brand was created in Saumur, France in 1834. It’s triple- distilled in the original, 175-year-old copper alembic stills from the same blend of bitter orange peels from Haiti. Its high-end sibling, Royal Combier, 78 / the tasting panel / august 2010 is brimming with sophisticated charm. It’s a skillful blend of cognac, Combier triple sec and Elixir de Combier, a 19th- century restorative compounded with aloe extracts, nutmeg, myrrh, cardamom, cinnamon and saffron. Royal Combier has a satiny lightweight body, a generous herbal and citrus nose and a long graceful fi nish. It’s exquisite both as a postprandial dram or show- cased in a gourmet cocktail. Comparing Combier to conventional triple sec is like comparing a Monet to a kid’s fi nger painting. The handcrafted gem features a satiny body, a wafting citrus nose and a vibrant, immaculately balanced palate. Its long-lasting fi nish is warm and citrusy, a perfect comple- ment to a top-notch Margarita. The 80-proof liqueur retails for around $30 per 750 ml. Combier, welcome to the States. Direct comparisons between Combier and Cointreau (RÉMY COINTREAU USA) are inevitable. They’re similarly conceived products with shared char- acter traits. Both liqueurs hail from the Loire Valley, and for the past 150 years, have served as the epitome of their class. However, Combier and Cointreau are suffi ciently distinctive and perform differently in cocktails. Each will have spawn separate followings. Cointreau is made from a complex blend of sweet orange peels from Spain, France and Brazil, combined with bitter, unripe orange peels from South America. The peels are macerated in alcohol before being double-distilled in one of the distillery’s 19 copper alembic stills, all of which were designed specifi cally to produce the 80- proof liqueur. Orange You Glad . . . Ultra-premium Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur (WM. GRANT & SONS) is a remarkably refreshing break from convention. Imported from Sicily, the all-natu- ral liqueur has the look of blood oranges and a spicy bittersweet palate tailor-made for use in cocktails. It’s produced in three small-batch distillations—fi rst using only Sanguinello oranges, then the zest and outer peels and fi nally with Sicilian lemons. The resulting 80-proof liqueur is highly aromatic with luscious citrus notes and a lingering, tart/tangy