Tag: comparison

Side by Side: Canton Ginger and Bols Ginger

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For today I’ve got another side by side review of two liqueurs. Bols Ginger and Domaine de Canton Ginger. Both are ginger liqueurs designed for a variety of cocktails, and have similar flavors but very different nuances and price points.

We’ll start with the Bols (since I have more of it at the time of writing). The liqueur has a strong ginger aroma similar to ginger beer and is virtually colorless. At 24% ABV it’s the heavier of the two in its sugar content, but it makes up for it with an intense bite of ginger flavor especially at the back end. Early on you’re mostly hit with a sweet sugary flavor and some interesting caramel notes. Overall it’s not a bad flavor additive, but you won’t be drinking it straight. At around $13-15 it’s a resonable price for the flavor needed for certain cocktails. I’ll give it a solid 7/10 overall.

Next is the Domaine de Canton. A french style ginger liqueur at a slightly higher 28% ABV. Side by side there is a noticable color difference in that the Canton is slightly gold in color. There is still a bit of ginger on the nose, but it’s much less pronounced and considerably sweeter smelling. It also feels slightly (but just barely) thicker in viscosity as when you swirl it in the glass it will temporarily coat its inside walls. The like the aroma the ginger flavor is more subtle mixing in hints of vanilla and possibly some orange notes. The biggest advantage for the Canton that I can see is the lack of a harsh ginger flavor burn at the end. It’s a smooth drink from start to finish and extremely well rounded! However at around $33-35 a bottle it’s going to be something for your extended bar rather than a daily mixer. That said I’ll give it a solid 8.5/10 overall. Despite the higher price point, you’re looking at a reasonably priced product that could easily be served over ice, or with a nice pairing of dry vermouth or gin.

At the end of the day however the two products are very different but also a little the same. For some cocktails I think the Bols could make an easy substitute especially in recipes calling for 5 or more ingredients. However, if you’re looking to put a simple twist on your martini, don’t skimp on the cost for the more premium product, it’s worth every penny!

 

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Side by Side: Sweetened Lime Juices

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In a recent trip to my local grocery store I was pleasantly surprised to find something OTHER than the basic Rose’s Lime Juice in the mixers isle. All thoughts stopped as I was drawn to find not only a natural sweetened lime juice but also a “real” grenadine as well. I decided it would be worth a side by side tasting and comparison of the basic standard of Rose’s with this new item on the shelf by “Powell & Mahoney.” I’ve based this review off of 5 main criteria: Recipe/Ingredients, Color, Aroma, Taste, and Overall.

To begin Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice is based on Corn Syrup as it’s main sweetener and is colored artificially to give a strange green chartreuse color. The P&M’s color however is a refreshing amber color that already seems better by comparison. It’s ingredients are also 100% natural so instead of corn syrup, food coloring, and concentrated lime juice as the core components, you’re looking at filtered water, and cane sugar in addition to the same lime juice concentrate.

Rose’s Lime has a sweet and limey aroma that lends itself to something of a lime peel. The P&M lime juice smells less sweet and a bit more like apple juice (which is strange as it doesn’t contain any).

The taste of the Rose’s Lime should be familar to any mixologist. It’s very sour with some sweet undertones as the juice crosses your palette and settles down. The Powell & Mahoney Clarified Lime Juice however, has a far superior taste in my opinion. It’s less sour and has a wonderfully juicy taste like you just bit into a sugared lime wedge.

So between the two of them I’ll highly recommend some Powell & Mahoney Clarified Lime Juice (over Rose’s) for most drinks. While Rose’s is a nice color component and heavy on the sour which could be great for a modern cocktail, the P&M gives a classic taste to any drink. I imagine it would go great in a Gin or Rum based drink especially a Gimlet or a Daiquiri Variation. If you have some in your area, I recommend picking some up!

Lime Juices
“Ack Sour!”

Side by Side: Benedictine and B&B

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While B&B might be found in any liquor store, Benedictine is a bit harder to come by depending on where you live. Last year I was lucky enough to track down a bottle of it and have it stocked in my bar ever since. However, I have since decided to make the switch to B&B (Brandy and Benedictine) as it is more readily available at most stores. So to finish the remaining portion (about 1/3 oz) of my Benedictine I decided to do a side by side taste comparison for you my fellow mixologists.

To begin both are amber colored liqueurs that are priced between $30 and $40. They’re also earthy and herbal with a strong aroma to match.

Ok so let’s start with the one we should already be familiar with here on the blog. Benedictine, has the consistency of a modern blue curacao or dark rum with a slightly thicker consistency than a standard spirit. While technically classified as a liqueur, Benedictine has the full body and kick of a standard spirit. “Clocking in” at 40% ABV (80 Proof), it doesn’t overpower itself with either sweetness or alcohol burn. The liqueur starts very sweet and then moves to a complex earthy (almost green earthy) flavor and rounds out with a little bite on the finish to remind you that it is still alcohol. Like B&B it’s not often mixed with to many other ingredients and is preferred by most sipped over ice.

B&B surprised me by being slightly darker in color than the traditional Benedictine. While the aroma of Benedictine is sweet and herbal, the B&B has much more of a classy brandy aroma. You might even pick up a little oak in that smell as well. B&B starts off sweet like it’s predecessor, however the mid palette is where everything changes. The herbal quality is very subtle and if you weren’t looking for it you might just miss it. The after taste is much cleaner and it leans very much to the fine French Brandy that is contains. Being a mixed liqueur it is also on the thinner side of the viscosity spectrum and feels a bit lighter in the glass. I certainly wasn’t expecting such a distinct difference in flavor for this particular mix. While it is similar in color B&B is a very different liqueur which will both allow me to try new recipes but also be cautious in substituting it for Benedictine in the future. At the same 40% ABV, you certainly feel more of the kick when drinking it, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Between the two of them I will continue to recommend Benedictine, however if B&B is all your can find I believe it will suffice for a mixed drink just fine. Just don’t give one of them to someone on ice and try to convince them it’s the other.

side by side benedictine and BB
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