You may browse the ACD's liqueur and miscellaneous spirits terminology alphabetically by section or by selecting a specific term in the select box and jumping directly to that definition.

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Advocaat (alc. 15-16%)
Custard-like, low alcohol liqueur flavoured with egg yolk. Similar to eggnog in style. A perishable product; keep cool and rotate frequently.

Amaretto (aic. 25-30%) Almond flavoured liqueurs of Italian origin but widely copied. Flavour generally derived from apricot pits. The basic almond flavour is sometimes combined with others (coffee, coconut) or is blended to be less sweet (Amaretto & Brandy, Amaretto & Cognac).

Amaro (alc. 25-30%) Italian term for bitters (see below); bitter-sweet herbal liqueurs.

Anise (alc. 40%) Italian high strength anise (licorice) flavoured liqueur of relatively low sugar content.

Anisette (alc. 25-30%) Anise (licorice) flavoured liqueurs produced in a wide variety of countries. One of the first was that of Marie Brizard of Bordeaux. The French name still persists.

Apértif Originally a reference to an apértif wine, fortified and aromatized by the addition of various herbs and spices. It was traditionally drunk before meals as a stimulant to the appetite. The term was also applied to various other wine concoctions. In other words, an apértif is anything alcoholic taken prior to dining.

Apricot Brandy (alc. 25-30%) Apricot-flavoured liqueur obtained through the maceration of the fruit flesh with neutral spirits, with or without pits (which give a slight almond flavour to the liqueur). These liqueurs will oxidize and lose some of their fruit fragrance if opened and not used promptly.

Benedictine (alc. 40%) High strength French herbal liqueur comprising a large number of assorted herbs and spices. Based on an original recipe of the Abbey of Fecamp.

Bitters (alc. 30-40%) Herbal-flavoured liqueurs with a pronounced bitterness which often derives from quinine bark (the only known specific for Malaria). They are particularly popular in Italy, Germany and Eastern Europe and are said to aid the digestive process.

Blackberry Brandy (alc. 25-30%) Liqueur made from blackberries.

Blue Curacao (alc. 20-30%) Orange-flavour with a beautiful blue colour for mixed drinks.

Bolsberry (alc. 18%) A light black currant liqueur often mixed with soda water as a long drink and aperitif.

Calvados (alc. 40%) Wood-aged apple brandy from Normandy. A favourite of Ernest Hemingway, the best is said to come from the Pays d'Auge. May be served as an alternative to regular brandies. Frequently used in cooking.

Campari (alc. 25%) Brilliant red liqueur flavoured with quinine bark. Slightly bitter in character, Intended as an aperitif, it is consumed in the form of a long drink with soda or with orange juice.

Cassis (alc. 17-20%) Intensely concentrated, viscous black currant liqueur that is often mixed. When mized with white wine, especially Aligoté, it becomes a Kir. With sparkling wine it is called Kir Royale.

Cent-Erbe (alc. 40%) From a small town in Calabria, Italy, this translates literally into 100 herbs. Not unlike Chartreuse in flavour.

Chambord (alc. 23%) Black raspberry and honey-flavoured liqueur, comes in an orb-like package.

Chartreuse (alc. 40-55%) Another famous French herbal liqueur of monastic origin (Carthusian) using over 100 different herbs and spices. It comes in a high strength green (55%) and a lower strength yellow (40%) formula.

Chaser A non-alcohol or low alcohol mixer that is tossed down the gullet after one has drunk a straight shot of whisky or other spirit instead of being combined with a spirit in a glass.

Cherry Brandy (alc. 25-30%) Cherry-flavoured liqueur. Some brands macerate the pits with the fruit pulp and thus show a faint bitter almond-like flavour underlying the cherry flavour. The base may or may not be brandy.

Cherry Whiskey (alc. 25-30%) Cherry liqueur with a whiskey base.

Cobbler A tall drink traditionally served in a highball or Collins glass filled with finely crushed ice and decorated with fresh fruit and mint sprigs. It may use any type of wine or spirit with or without a sweetener. The classic Cobbler from the gaslight era was made of sherry and pineapple syrup and various fresh fruit garnishes.

Cocktail A combination of spirits and flavorings, sweeteners and garnishes of various kinds intended to be consumed before dining. The usual cocktail recipe consists of a base, such as gin, whisky, rum, brandy, vodka or even a wine such as sherry, champagne or in some cases a table wine; to which is added an accent spirit and often a sweetener or flavoring.

Coconut Rum (alc. 25-30%) Coconut liqueur with a rum base, primarily used for mixing tropical fruit drinks.

Cooler There are many recipes for coolers, which all have these things in common: true coolers are made with gingerale, club soda, or other types of carbonated beverages, and the rind of a lemon or orange cut in a continuous spiral, with one end hooked over the rim of the glass. All coolers are served in tall glasses.

Crème de Cacao (alc. 25-28%) Chocolate-flavoured liqueur, may be either brown or clear.

Crème de Café (alc. 25-30%) Coffee liqueur of varying intensity and bases.

Crème de Menthe (alc. 25-30%) Mint-flavoured liqueur, either water-white or green-coloured.

Cream Liqueurs (alc. 16-20%) Perishable, low alcohol liqueurs with cream content and various alcohol bases. They should always be stored at cool temperatures when opened.

Cup A punch-type drink that is made by the cup or glass instead of in a punch bowl.

Curaçao (alc. 35-40%) Orange liqueur, generally clear or amber but sometimes comes in other colours. Originally using the peels of Curaçao oranges from the Dutch island of the same name. Today synonymous with Triple Sec.

Cynar (alc. 16.5%) Low strength bitters which has artichokes as one of the herbal flavouring ingredients. Generally intended as an aperitif.

Doornkaat (alc. 40%) German gin distilled from grain, flavoured with juniper. Often referred to as schnapps.

Drambuie Drambuie, the great proprietary liqueur of Scotland made of scotch and heather honey, is considered to be one of the top five world-class formulations. Reputed to have been Bonnie Prince Charlie's own family recipe.

Escorial Grun (alc. 56%) German herbal liqueur incorporating numerous herbs and spices.

Eggnog A traditional Christmas holiday bowl containing a delectable combination of eggs, sugar, cream or milk, and brandy, rum or bourbon served cold in individual cups.

Fernet Branca (alc. 40%) Well known bitters from Italy. Very concentrated and very bitter. Generally used as an after dinner digestif and mid-morning pick-me-up.

Fraise (alc. 40%) Fruit distillate of strawberries, very fragrant but completely dry and clear.

Framboise (alc. 40% or 20% depending on product) Fruit distillate of raspberries. Fragrant but completely dry and clear. May refer to raspberry liqueur as well.

Galliano (alc. 35%): Famous bright yellow Italian herbal and floral liqueur with a very dominant aniçe component..

Grappa (alc. 40%) Italian term for distillate from grape pomace (pips, skins etc.) generally bottled without any wood aging. Has a characteristic dry, straw-like flavour. The French equivalent is called Marc.

Grog Any kind of drink usually made with a rum base, fruit and various sweeteners and served either hot or cold in a large mug or glass.

Hubertus (alc. 40%) Herbal and citrus liqueur from Hungary.

Highball Any spirit served with ice and club soda in a medium to tall glass. Other carbonated beverages may be used but if other ingredients are added, it is no longer a highball.

lnlaender Rum Punch (alc. 38%) Pungent, slightly sweet rum-type spirit from Austria derived from sugar beets. Used mostly in hot punches and teas. The ingredients to make this can be bought at some Austrian delis and added to plain spirit should the product be unavailable.

Irish Mist (alc. 35%) Herb and honey liqueur like Drambuie in intent but with Irish Whiskey base.

Julep A venerable drink made of Kentucky bourbon, sugar, mint leaves, and plenty of crushed ice. An American classic.

Kirsch (alc. 40%) Distillate from macerated cherries, including their stones. As are all fruit distillates, very fragrant. Particularly well known from Alsace, Switzerland and the Black Forest. Clear and colourless. Used in making Black Forest cake.

Krupnik (alc. 30%) Polish honey and herb liqueur.

Kummel (alc. 35-40%) Clear caraway flavoured liqueur with alleged digestive properties.

Lakka (alc. 28%) Liqueur derived from the Finnish cloudberry.

Lowball A short drink consisting of spirits served with ice alone or with water and soda in a short glass. Also called On-the-Rocks.

Maraschino (alc. 30-35%) Clear, moderately sweet liqueur with the pronounced flavour of maraschino cherries. Originally from Italy.

Marc (alc. 40%) French term for distillate of grape pomace. Marc is sometimes wood-aged, especially that from Burgundy and Champagne.

Midori (alc. 30%) Japanese liqueur made from honeydew melons. Bright green colour, sweet fruity taste.

Millefiori Cucci (alc. 36%) Bright yellow Italian floral and herbal liqueur with a touch of anice. Distinguished by a tree branch covered with sugar crystals contained inside each bottle.

Mist A glass packed with crushed ice to which spirits are added, usually straight.

Mulls Wine or wine drinks that are heated and served as hot punches. Also called mulled wine from the time when drinks were heated with a red-hot poker, loggerhead or flip iron.

Neat A straight shot of any spirit taken in a single gulp without any accompaniment. Also called a shooter.

Nightcap Any drink that is taken immediately before retiring. Milk punches, toddies and short drinks such as liqueurs or fortified wines are favored.

Nocino (alc. 28%) Bitters/liqueur made from green walnut rinds with reputed digestive properties.

On-the-Rocks Any wine or spirit poured over ice cubes, usually in an Old Fashioned glass. Also called a Lowball.

Ouzo (alc. 40%) Clear anise or licorice-flavoured aperitif liqueur from Greece. When mixed with water or ice, this mixture will turn milky or opaque.

Pastis A French generic term for all anise-based, absinthe-type liqueurs.

Peach Brandy (alc. 25-30%) Peach liqueur, not necessarily with a brandy base.

Peppermint Schnapps (alc. 30%) Clear mint liqueur, generally a bit drier than regular Creme de Menthe

Pernod (alc. 40%) The most famous of the Pastis. Bright yellow, but turns cloudy when mixed (traditionally) with ice water. Made by distilling 18 different herbs (but no licorice root), this once contained wormwood as an active ingredient. Wormwood is now prohibited in most countries as it contains the psycho-active drug Tujone.

Posset An old English invention consisting of a mixture of hot wine, milk, and spices. Eggs were often used with or without milk, and ale was sometimes used in combination with wine or used in place of it.

Prunelle (alc. 35%) Sloe plum liqueur with a pronounced yet delicate almond flavour which is obtained by soaking only the stones in the spirit for long periods of time. The best known are Prunelles de Bougogne.

Puff A combination of spirits and milk mixed in equal parts and topped with club soda. Usually served in an Old Fashioned glass.

Punch A combination of spirits, wine, sweeteners, flavorings, fruit garnishes, and sometimes various carbonated beverages mixed in and served from a large bowl to a number of people. Individually made punches are called Cups.

Ricard (alc. 45%) A pastis like Pernod but higher in alcohol and made by cold maceration using both licorice root and star anise as flavouring agents.

Rickey A drink made with gin or other spirit, lime juice and club soda, usually served with ice in a small highball or rickey glass, with or without sweetening. Named for Colonel Joe Rickey, an old-time Washington lobbyist.

Rumona (alc. 31 %) Jamaican rum-flavoured liqueur incorporating various spices.

Rye (alc. 40%) A name still used by many people for Canadian Whisky, although corn is today the dominant grain.

Sabra (alc. 30%) Israeli liqueur with chocolate and orange flavours.

Sambuca (alc. 40%) Clear Italian herbal liqueur made from elderberry (Sambucus nigra), anise and other herbs.

Schnapps (alc. 40%) German term referring to unsweetened, generally clear, distilled spirits that are consumed neat. Most often served ice cold. Popular in Scandinavian and Teutonic countries. This is the original and perhaps historically correct style of schnapps.

(Fruit Flavoured) Schnapps (alc. 24-35%) Using plain spirit as the base, these products have been flavoured and sweetened to create a relatively new category of liqueurs. Peach is still the most popular flavour but others such as apple, orange, peppermint and root-beer have also appeared and just as quickly disappeared.

Shooter A straight shot of whiskey or other kind of spirit taken neat. Also called a Neat.

Shrub Spirits, fruit juices and sugar, aged in a sealed container such as a cask or crock, then usually bottled.

Sling A tall drink made with lemon juice, sugar and spirits, usually served cold with club soda. The most famous sling is the Singapore Gin Sling. There are also recipes for hot slings.

Slivovice (aic. 40%) Eastern European plum brandy distilled from prune plums and given some wood aging.

Smash A short Julep made of spirits, sugar and mint, usually served in an Old Fashioned glass.

Sour A short drink made of lemon or lime juice, sugar and spirits. The Whisky Sour is the classic Sour, but it may be made with vodka, gin, rum, brandy, or various liqueurs, especially fruit-flavored cordials such as apricot, peach, etc.

Steinhager (alc. 40%) Often referred to as schnapps, this is one of the German gins, juniper flavoured and distilled from grain.

Strega (alc. 40%) Brilliant yellow herbal liqueur from Italy.

Swiss Chocolate Almond (alc. 27%) Chocolate and almond flavoured liqueur.

Tequila (alc. 40%) Distillate deriving from the juice of the Agave or century plant, produced within the Tequila provence of Mexico. Generic distillates from other localities are called Mescal.

Toddy Originally a hot drink made with spirits, sugar, spices such as cinnamon, cloves etc., and a lemon peel mixed with hot water and served in a tall glass. Now a toddy may be served cold with ice with any combination of spices and spirits.

Unicum (alc. 42%) Hungarian herbal bitters.

Zubrowka (alc. 40%) Polish vodka flavoured with zubrowka or buffalo grass.

Excerpted from: LCBO Product Knowledge Correspondence Course.

Copyright © 1999 Association of Canadian Distillers