Perhaps the first reason someone picks up a book on cocktails is to look at the amazing recipes contained within. When I first picked up a copy of Death & Co’s cocktail book, I turned right to the whiskey section. Then immediately realized that I couldn’t make anything in that section, or most of the other ones. It wasn’t for a lack of skill (although that would come), it was more for lack of ingredients.
Fortunately, a fair number of cocktail books contain sections with recommendations for different brands and liquors that they use in their cocktails. These offer a great starting point if you’re unfamiliar, and a great chance to compare if you happen to own multiple books. Over time, and with the purchase of a number of books, I began to realize that some brands are better than others. Among them is Giffard’s.
While we’ve tried a number of spirits, we generally gravitate toward Giffard as we’ve found everything from the Blue Curacao to the Vigne de Peché to be well-balanced, nuanced, and true to their names.
Giffard describes their Abricot du Roussillon as a premium liqueur, made from Rouges du Roussillon apricots macerated in neutral spirits and then sweetened with fresh apricot juice. True to form in the tasting notes, the flavors are balanced and fresh, and there’s a premium feel here we didn’t see in lower end Apricot Liqueur.
On Its Own
Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon has a delightful fresh apricot start to the nose. The smell is nuanced, picking up notes of dried and baked apricots, orange zest, and candied fruit notes. The palate is sweet, although not cloyingly so. The flavor is predominantly fresh apricot, but still picks up some of the dried and baked elements, along with touches of tangerine, allspice, and certain nuttiness. A mild astringency lingers with the sweetness of the finish.
It’s worth noting this flavor is distinctly apricot – you’d be unlikely to open this and think – wow, that’s peaches [or other miscellaneous stone fruit].
Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon – In Cocktails
I would be remiss to tell you that Apricot Liqueur is widely used in cocktails. In our perusal of several cocktail books in our collection, we yielded possibly a dozen recipes out of several hundred. That number trims down even further if you’re trying to find a cocktail that truly showcases apricot liqueur. That’s a shame too; at its best it adds a delightful fruitiness while giving a cocktail characteristics that surprise and often amazing people. Several of our guests after trying it, have been surprised at how much apricot flavor it imparts.
So what can you do with it?
Thanks to its pungent nature, Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon can be employed easily as a modifier. Adding a hint (read barspoon to quarter oz) to a Gin and Tonic, Manhattan, or Daiquiri can add a different dimension to a favorite drink. If you want to be more tailored, The Bitter Truth (who makes a competing product) offers a list of Apricot cocktails.
Their Apricot Lady really helps to show off the depth of flavor Giffard’s Abricot Du Roussillon has. The apricot comes through against the creaminess of the egg, and the orange amplifies with the rum. Simultaneously rich and refreshing, it’s a great choice to show off the liqueur.
Abricot Du Roussillon also plays well in Tiki Cocktails. One of the recipes we found is the Golden Gun from Smuggler’s Cove by Martin Cate [disclosure – this is an Amazon Affiliate link, First Pour Cocktails may receive a portion of any sale]. The play between the rums, apricot, and the citrus creates a beautifully balanced mix of tiki flavors. The apricot really shines through – playing off the brown sugar and molasses notes of the rums. The result is a simply sippable cocktail that’s perfect for spring or early fall.
The Final Word – Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon
There aren’t a ton of apricot liqueurs on the market, so most of the time your options will be limited. If you do have a choice, Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon is among the top we’ve tasted, being well balanced, nuanced, and true to the flavor of apricots.
Other’s Share Their Thoughts on Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon:
Tasting Notes:
Ann Marie: On the nose fresh apricot with a touch of fresh fruit tarts, hints of baked apricot, and orange. Taste was similar to fresh apricot – with a hint of nuttiness like the pit. A hint of allspice and orange with a pleasant sweetness.
Nick: The smell is of fresh cut apricots with a subtle bitterness and candy like notes. There are touches of dried apricot as well. On the palate there’s a mild astringent characteristic and a pleasant sweetness. Fresh apricot and a mild nuttiness come together with a hint of tangerine on the finish. The dried /cooked apricot characteristics come through well.