Developed by Alexandre Le Grand in 1863, Benedictine D.O.M is an herbal liqueur made with 27 herbs, spices, and other secrets. Made in the heart of France at the extravagant palace Le Palais Bénédictine, the liqueur actually starts as four different distillation recipes which are then aged in oak for 8 months. Once aged, these recipes are blended together, and saffron and honey are added. The blend is then heated, before being aged for another 4 months in a large oak tank. The result is a unique liqueur with a special sort of sweetness and flavor.
Benedictine D.O.M.
Sight: A coppery hue with a hint of gold. Plenty of viscous sugar is visible with the cling to the glass. There is a subtle amount of oily notes in the body of the liqueur. [Caramel color is added]
Smell: Beautiful notes of honey and baking spices mix immediately with a hit of mountainous herbs. The unmistakably floral note of saffron lays over the top, adding a complexity while the spices and herbs evolve.
Sip: Rich and thick like syrup, it immediately feels like thinned honey, and has an underlying honey like flavor that runs throughout. Floral notes kick of ranging from saffron to roses. Notes of pine resin, alpine herbs, and garigue join in to give a subtle earthiness. Spicing hints throughout, suggesting warm baking spices in small amounts, similar to the background flavor on mead.
Savor: The ending is a hint of herbs and baking spices with a honey like backbone. It lingers lazily but pleasantly.
Benedictine D.O.M. is a classic herbal liqueur that seamlessly sews together herbs, honey, and floral components. The net result is a silky smooth, if very sweet herbal liqueur. It isn’t exactly the kind of thing most people would want to sit around and crush a glass of, but in cocktails it’s a rockstar.
In Cocktails
Benedictine D.O.M has been around long enough that’s it’s managed to work it’s way into a number of classic cocktails. The most prominent of these is the Vieux Carre, a mix of rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, Angostura and Peychaud’s bitters which you can still find on many prohibition style cocktail bar menus today. Lesser known, but equally great are the Preakness and Bobby Burns, but of which recipes can be found right here on First Pour Cocktails.
Benedictine D.O.M. has even crossed over to the world of Tiki, where you’ll find it in a Singapore Sling
In Review – Benedictine D.O.M.
Benedictine D.O.M is beautiful mix of honeyed flavors and herbal notes with just the right amount of floral touches. This complexity, combined with the refined balance and texture makes it a wonderful addition to your bar. This bottle is a great expansion choice as it can help make a number of classic drinks and will last you a decent amount of time.