Edmond Briottet Rhubarb Liqueur

Maison Briottet is a family business founded in 1836 in Burgundy as a wine negociant but, through the years, has developed into a company that focuses on fruit crème, liqueurs, brandies and Marc de Bourgogne. Briottet is currently led by Gérard Briottet, the fourth generation of his family to head the business.

Briottet are very high-quality producers. They have contracts with many growers and are always searching for the ripest fruit and the best varieties with which to make Briottet liqueurs. After all, the fruit is the starting point and the most important ingredient in the creation of their products.

Briottet only uses traditional, time-consuming methods of maceration, with very pure neutral alcohol and blending with the correct amount of sugar which helps to create the balanced fruit liqueurs and crèmes they are famous for. They do not use any artificial colours or flavourings.

I have never tried Rhubarb Liqueur before. I know that many people have their own homemade rhubarb liqueur recipes for dealing with a fresh rhubarb glut but, hey, I have never grown rhubarb, so it will have to be a store-bought one for me. So what is it like?

Briottet Rhubarb Liqueur Tasting Notes

Available from the Fareham Wine Cellar.

Quite simply this is like liquid, sweet rhubarb. It is made by macerating (steeping in alcohol) both green and pink rhubarb for 2 months. This has produced a very pretty, delicate, light pink colour. The nose is quite powerful, evocative of freshly cut rhubarb and sweet, rhubarb confit – there is nothing remotely artificial about this. The palate is again full and sweet, rounded but with good acidity. It is very sherbert-y and reminiscent of rhubarb and custard boiled sweets, if anyone remembers those. It is very long-lasting. I find it a bit sweet to drink on its own, but it might work over ice. It will come into its own in cocktails or other recipes. More below.

 

Briottet Liqueur de Rhubarbe (Rhubarb Liqueur) 18% 70cl (1)
Briottet Rhubarb Liqueur
So what to use Rhubarb Liqueur for?

As I said, I think it is perhaps a bit much to drink on its own, but perhaps straight from the freezer or over the ice it would be very good. Some people pour it over vanilla ice cream for a simple, quick but delicious pudding. Perhaps the most common use, apart from cocktails, see below, is to use it with a white wine, preferably sparkling, to make a “Rhubarb Kir”.

Rhubarb Liqueur Cocktails

Here are a few ideas for some cocktails. All credit to the original mixologists.

Gin and Rhubarb Cocktail

  • 1 ounce Rhubarb Liqueur
  • 1/2 ounce lime juice
  • 1 1/2 ounces gin – such as Mermaid Gin, Fort Gin or Ninth Wave
  • 1 ounce soda water
  • lime slices, for garnish

Combine rhubarb syrup, lime juice, and gin in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Shake for 10 seconds and strain into a glass.  Top with the soda water.  Serve with lime slice.

Rhubarb n’ Rye

1 1/2 oz Rye Whisky – Pikesville, Rittenhouse or perhaps High West Double Rye
1/4 oz Rhubarb Liqueur
1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
Stir, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a sugar-dipped rhubarb stalk.

Spiced Rhubarb Caipirinha

2 oz Sagatiba Cachaca
1 oz Rhubarb Liqueur
½ oz. simple syrup
1 full lime

Shake vigorously with ice and strain into short glass with no ice.

Strawberry Rhu
4cl Rhubarb Liqueur
3cl Tequila
3 Strawberries
1cl Lemon Juice
0.5cl Sugar Syrup

Muddle the strawberries in a cocktail shaker, add ice followed by all the other ingredients. Shake, filter and pour and serve.

Angélique
1cl Elderflower cordial
2cl Aperol
2cl Rhubarb Liqueur
2cl Winchester Distillery Dry Gin
2cl Lemon Juice

Place some ice in a cocktail shaker, followed by all the other ingredients. Shake, filter, pour and serve. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

 

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