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www.cheersonline.com 19 October 2015 • Customers do want to know more about the different liqueurs—old and new, says Devon Seafood + Steak beverage manager Angela Marti. "We are in the age of information, and our guests are interested in being educated," she notes. "They want to know the fl avor profi le [of a liqueur] and what else they could mix with it." Pappas has found that listing the more obscure ingredients on the cocktail menu helps educate guests at the Winchester. It also stirs conversation with the bartender, he adds. The Winchester stocks a variety of styles and brands, including more common liqueurs such as Aperol and Campari, as well as lesser-known bottles including Letherbee Fernet, Salers and Pontarlier Anis. The Banksy cocktail ($10) mixes Banks 5 Island Rum, lime juice and sugar cane syrup with Art in the Age Rhuby, a bitter, sweet and herbal rhubarb liqueur made in Philadelphia. "There are many distillers making great, artisanal products," notes Pappas. "You can get elderfl ower liqueur from many different producers now—not just from the St. Germain people." Bols, Chases, St. Elder and Thatchers are other elderfl ower liqueur options, for instance, while Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur, Stirrings and the Big O can stand in for the wildly popular Domaine de Canton brand. Companies like Fee Brothers and The Bitter Truth are producing some wonderful products with varying fl avor profi les to keep up with demand, according to McNamee and Schulman. The plethora of bartender-made amaros and cordial brands is "exciting," says Kim. She cites brands like Don Ciccio & Figli, which produces liqueurs such as Nocino, fl avored with walnuts, cinnamon and cloves, and Concerto, infused with espresso, barley, coffee and 15 spices as intriguing bottles to experiment with. THE BITTER END Cynar, the artichoke-based bitter Italian liqueur, which is made from 13 herbs and plants, has become a bartender's favorite in recent years. Aperol and Campari have seen a resurgence in popularity, as have other amari. "Consumers are recognizing the sub-categories and are ordering drinks like Campari and Soda and Americanos more than ever before," Kim says. At Tico and The Riggsby, amaros and Fernet Branca are top sellers—in part because the general public is more knowledgeable and sophisticated, she notes. These spirits also appear in drinks such as the Bait & Switch ($11), in which Mexican Fernet and Mexican Coke mingle with Angostura bitters and mint. Tico's 14th Street Shuffl e cocktail ($12) uses aged rum, lime, Angostura bitters and cardamaro, a wine-based Italian digestif infused with botanicals. "Bitter in products like Campari and Fernet Branco lead people away from the suspicion that all liqueurs are way too sweet," says Pappas. The Rosalita ($10) stirs rye with Cocchi Americano Rosa in a glass that's rinsed with Campari and Peychaud's; the drink is garnished with a grapefruit twist. "Amaros are the bee's knees due to bartenders creating strong, stirred cocktails that need a bitter component," adds Bogue of Earls Restaurants. While amaros are a great way to end a meal, offerings from the liqueur category can be a part of a diner's entire evening, says Devon's Marti. She points out that guests may start the evening with a Kir Royale and end it with a rich and decadent liquid dessert. "The art of cocktail making is at the forefront of the most progressive bars and restaurants, and bartenders no longer mix mundane drinks with subpar ingredients," Marti says. Versatile and intriguing, liqueurs and cordials add a splash of the sweet—or bitter, or herbal—to the glass. Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is a wine, spirits and lifestyle writer and wine educator in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics. Stay Cool. RumChata. Stay Cool. RumChata. RumChata® Caribbean Rum with Real Dairy Cream, Natural and Artificial Flavors, 13.75% alc./vol. Produced and Bottled by Agave Loco Brands, Pewaukee, WI 53072. Please Enjoy Responsibly. RUMCHATA and CHATA are Registered Trademarks of Agave Loco, LLC. Visit RumChata.com for recipes Sweet HEAT