People often ask me, “What spirits should I always have in my home bar?”
While the staple base spirits of gin, vodka, whiskey, rum and tequila are obvious choices, nothing makes a house bar a home bar like the classic cordials of the 1970s and ’80s.
There was a time when we did not have easy access to ingredients like elderflower liquor or Aperol, which you can find in the grocery store today. For a very long time, misunderstood disco-flavored ingredients were some of the only ingredients available to dress up your cocktail. When the world rediscovered the art of the cocktail and focused in on homemade and rare ingredients, these vintage cordials got moved to the back of the shelf.
Today, I am here to make a case for why you should reconsider a few of my vintage favorites.
Chambord
Do you want to drink like King Louis XIV? Do you love the flavor of raspberries? Are you looking for a lower-alcohol spirit for spritzes? Look no further than the spherical bottle that contains Chambord.
As with most booze history, you’ll find conflicting accounts of exactly how and when Chambord was developed. I trust the dorks at Difford’s Guide more than most. According to their research, it was first popularized in the 17th century after King Louis XIV was given a bottle after visiting the Loire region of France. It is made from raspberries, blackberries, Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey and cognac. Difford’s says Chambord was introduced to the States in the same year as the introduction of the McRib, 1981, and it became synonymous with the sticky-sweet-drinks culture of the time. But that’s not the only way to use it.
The reason I am so passionate about Chambord is that with one splash, you can fill any drink with the bold flavor of dark berries, which can make margaritas, Manhattans and daiquiris all taste amazing. My personal favorite is Chambord and tonic with a mint garnish; the flavor is like walking through an alpine berry patch in the spring.
Midori
There is only one spirit so synonymous with disco that it actually debuted in America at Studio 54 during a party in 1978 for the movie Saturday Night Fever. (Launch party? Wrap party? Cast party? You’ll find reports of all three.) I am, of course, talking about Midori.
Midori may have scared off the disco generation—who suffered through countless knockoff and generic versions of the spirit—but real Midori is an elegant Japanese melon liqueur. Flavored with funky, indigenous melon varieties, including muskmelon and Yubari, this green-eyed beauty is much more nuanced than many people think.
Part of the problem with people’s understanding of Midori is, again, the time at which it became popular. Drinks like the Midori sour—which contains a whole ounce of the sweet liquor paired with sweet-and-sour mix—became ubiquitous, and extremely sweet drinks became the only way a whole generation knew how to drink Midori. But used in restraint, it can be an excellent complement to drinks and a great way to add color to a cocktail.
My preferred Midori drink is equal parts dry sherry and Midori, a splash of lemon juice, and soda water with a basil sprig. The sweet melon flavor with the dry, salty finish of sherry is perfect for anyone who loves prosciutto with their melon.
Frangelico
In the houses of many grandmothers, there is a monk-shaped bottle with a little rope belt—filled with one of the greatest nut liquors ever made. According to legend, Frangelico was created more than 300 years ago by Christian monks living in the Piedmont region of Italy. Creamy, earthy and sweet, Frangelico gets its signature flavor from the Tonda Gentile hazelnut, grown in Italy and considered superior. I asked the folks at Campari, who own the brand, if they still use this special hazelnut, and they said they do—not exclusively, but they aim for its flavor in the final product.
This nutty bottle arrived in the U.S. in 1978 when, yet again, the world was apparently too drunk to know how to use it. Most cocktails of the time combined Frangelico with cream, cream liqueurs or chocolate. These ideas are fine, because hazelnut flavors love fatty flavors, but this is by far the least interesting approach.
My recommendation is to try it in a spritz: An ounce of Frangelico, a splash of soda, a splash of dry sparkling wine and a lemon twist will change your life.
Hopefully I’ve now I have enticed you to look into the back part of your liquor cabinet and pull out these misunderstood gems. It’s the perfect time of year to play with some sweet and fun spirits.
