As you’d know, we’re all about having cocktails for well … no reason at all … so you can imagine a Liqueur, like Chambord, with their slogan of “because … why not” would be right up our alley.
Especially at this time of year, when you have a million social engagements or you have friends drop around unexpectedly, there is an advantage to being able to create drinks with an outstanding flavour, quickly and easily.
Anyone can throw a little Chambord in a Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine to create a Chambord Kir Royale. In other words, Chambord is definitely one of those liqueurs that can create cocktails that are just as easy to make as they are to drink.
With a wonderful Raspberry taste, that leaves a hint of Vanilla on the palette, Chambord is an aperitif that defines what summer is all about. The berry brightness of a summer drink without the clawing sweetness that plagues so many summer liqueurs.
Instead, you get a liquor that is smooth with a velvet texture on the palate, with a rich, sweet offering of black raspberries and currants bursting at every moment. And best of all, it’s a little dry on the finish.
And let’s be honest, the bottle looks really pretty on a bar cart. In case you’re curious, the design of the bottle is actually based on a Globus Cruciger – an Orb, which is a Christian symbol which was used during the Middle Ages.
Originally it had a metallic gold plastic lettered ‘belt’ around the middle, and a crown atop its lid. Now though you will find it with a crown cartouche and a more streamlined look, although it is most definitely the same rich liquid inside.
Although the Chambord brand was actually only founded in 1982, the story of the liqueur comes from a legend. The story goes that in 1685, King Louis XIV visited Château Chambord in the Loire Valley and ‘enjoyed a marvellous liqueur made from wild raspberries’. This liqueur is said to have inspired the spirit that today is known as Chambord Liqueur Royale de France.
Chambord is rather unique when it comes to its production as it uses a three-step process that brings together natural ingredients –
First Step: Double Fruit Infusion & Extraction
A four-week infusion within French neutral spirits starts once the extraction of juices from whole fresh raspberries and blackberries has taken place. A second two-week infusion occurs when the second layer of French spirits washes the fruit. This is to extract additional flavour from the whole fruit blend. After the six weeks of double fruit infusion, the fruit is pressed to capture the natural juices and sugars.
Second Step: Flavour Marrying
The berry infusion is filtered then blended with extracts of all-natural black raspberries, black currant and other raspberry varieties. Additionally, it is married with a blend of French cognac, extracts of Madagascar vanilla and other fragrant herbs.
Third Step: Flavour Blending
Here, the Master Blender, Stephane Cantin, balances the flavour profile of the fruit infusion to ensure the character of the product is consistent.
Chambord is the elegant, purple star of a number of popular cocktails, including many of the “martinis” adorning drink menus. It is used both for its sweet raspberry taste as well as that deep, royal purple colour and the cocktails made with Chambord are as stunning to look at as they are enjoyable to drink.
All of these attributes combine to make Chambord a regular in the bar and a favourite among bartenders and drinkers. When a cocktail calls for a raspberry liqueur, Chambord is almost always the first choice.
