St. Germain Elderflower liqueur

St. Germain is a relatively recent arrival to the state of Georgia. If you’ve ever made white sangria, you probably ran across the requirement for elderflower liqueur. My wife had always substituted orange liqueur (triple sec) in the past, but now we can finally complete the puzzle as it was meant to be. We first ran across this lovely drop at the last Toast of the Town event (which is great when you are attending gratuito) and were excited to finally sample the elusive elixir.

At their table, they were featuring this signature cocktail:

• 2 parts sparkling wine (they were using a Cava, but I’d recommend a Prosecco for this)
• 1 1/2 parts St. Germain
• 2 parts club soda

It was delicious and refreshing, perfect for our frequently inhospitable weather. While I’m not one to generally make cocktails from wine, there are a few exceptionally good ones and I’ve added this to the list. As mentioned above, I think Prosecco and its generally more stone fruit driven tastes would pair better than the Cava, but that is just a personal preference. You could also just use club soda or experiment and add different fruit juices. I think something tangy like cranberry or pomegranate would work especially well.

By itself, it smells and tastes of poached pears drizzled with honey, with a distinct underpinning of white flowers. It exhibits the balance of Philippe Petit, with sweetness, acidity and alcohol dancing in perfect harmony, none submitting to the other’s dominance.

While the price of $35.99 is not cheap, it is available in single shot (50 ml) size at around $4. I’d recommend trying it before committing to the full bottle purchase. Once you go full tilt, just invite some friends over and introduce them to your latest libatious discovery.

Pairing suggestion: I’d stick to having the cocktail as an apéritif with lighter hors d’oeuvres or soft cheeses like brie. It would also work as a substitute for the brunch favorite mimosa.

Final word: I highly recommend this and find it to be of Outstanding quality.