Chambord Liqueur

About Chambord Liqueur

Ah, France -- the home of hedonistic delights. From croissant to wine to butter, France has always been first in peace, first in food, and first in leisure.

Less known but equally noteworthy is France's contribution to cocktailing. As early as the 1600s, French aristocracy combined brandy with macerated fruit and herbs to create liqueurs. Among the recipes was what we know today as Chambord.

Named for the Château de Chambord in France's Loire Valley, Chambord is meant to be a liqueur fit for a king! In fact, King Louis XIV supposedly first tried the recipe at the castle while roaming the "humble hunting lodge's"  440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases.  

The recipe was resurrected in 1982 by Norton Cooper of the French liqueur maker, Charles Jacquin et Cie. Interestingly, his son, Scott, is the brains behind St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur. I would love to see their homebar!

Today, Chambord uses fresh raspberries and blackberries, infused in cognac, and complemented by vanilla, honey, and citrus to create a wonderfully unique and well balanced berry liqueur. Its unique flavor makes it a must-have for cocktailers perfecting any number of berry-accented cocktails -- from the Kir Impérial to the Black Raspberry Mojito. 

Lastly, we'd be remiss not to mention Chambord's bottle. It truly stands out on the backbar. Modeled after the medieval Globus Cruciger (Latin for cross-bearing orb), the gold and deep red colors evoke royalty. For the less reverent among us, it reminds us of Monty Python's holy hand grenade! Striking, nonetheless, on your home bar.

Recommendations

Our friend, Greg, has some wonderful ideas for using Chambord:

• Don't break your toe (like Greg did!), but give the Flaming Moe a try
• Embrace your spooky side with a Death Becomes Her Youth Potion

750ml & 33 Proof