do you know French liqueurs? Which are the best? Characteristics and more. France is a European country with an interesting history, its culture and gastronomy have positioned it throughout history as one of the most influential nations. French liqueurs are part of this rich diversity and, year after year, they manage to capture the attention of a public that prefers exceptional and high-quality flavors. If you are not familiar with French liqueurs, here are some interesting facts.
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+11 French liqueurs that will delight your palate
Many of the alcoholic beverages we consume today come from France, and without knowing their origin and history, they have become an important part of our celebrations. Champagne, Cognac, Wine, Triple Sec, among others, are part of the French liqueurs that are always present.
Armagnac
Armagnac is a type of brandy produced in the French region of Armagnac, located in the southwest of France, and is the result of the distillation of dry white wine obtained from four different grape varieties, it also has an alcoholic content equal to or higher than 40%. 
The main vines from which Armagnac is made are:
- Ugni blanc: It is also known as Saint-Emilion or Trebianno, which is very famous for its acidity.
- Baco 22 A: It is a hybrid of folle blanche and American noah
- Colombard:It is a strain with floral aromas that is very attractive
- Folle blanche: Strain sensitive to diseases
Armagnac is one of the French liqueurs par excellence is distilled in vertical still and then aged in oak barrels for 18 and 30 years, it is amber colored and has more than 150 years of existence filling with flavor all demanding palates.
Calvados
It is one of the French liqueurs that will undoubtedly captivate your palate. It owes its name to the town of Calvados, located in the region of Lower Normandy, and it is made with apple. 
For many calvados is actually a kind of cider brandy, it has a full body, pleasant bouquet which makes it an ideal after-dessert drink. It should be drunk neat and at room temperature served in a balloon glass and taken in small sips. Calvados is obtained thanks to the distillation of cider, which is obtained from the fermentation of the apple must itself, and up to 150 varieties of apples ranging from bitter to sweet are usually used for its production.
Chambord
This is one of the French liqueurs originating from the Loire Valley in France. It is made from red and black raspberries, honey, vanilla and cognac. 
The story goes that King Louis XIV visited the Chambord Castle in 1685, where he tasted a delicious liqueur that would become his favorite, which in turn led this strange and singular beverage to bear the name of the castle. Chambord has a deep reddish-purple color, and being all-natural and preservative-free, it should be drunk within six months after opening, and has an alcohol content of 16.5%.
Champagne
Champagne is a type of sparkling wine originating from the Champagne region, located in northeastern France, and is made from a blend of chardonnay, pinot meunier, pinot noir, pinot gris, arbanne and petit meslier grapes. 
It has a Controlled Designation of Origin in order to protect its production and history, and although many of the sparkling wines are confused with the name champagne, it is only considered as such the one that comes from the French region of Champagne. Champagne is produced under the double fermentation method, which is carried out first in a tank or vat and then in the bottle.
Likewise, the stopper or cork used to seal the champagne bottles after disgorging is special. This stopper is made of cork agglomerate, and is made up of two cork rounds glued together and to the head. Its surface is usually superficially treated with kerosene to guarantee its watertightness and facilitate its insertion into the bottle.
Chartreuse
It is a French liqueur made with one hundred and thirty herbs macerated in grape alcohol and distilled. The resulting alcohol is mixed with distilled honey and sugar syrup before aging in oak barrels. 
Chartreuse has a history linked to the Carthusian Monastery, where it is thought to have originated, its recipe is a mystery and is only known to those who still make it today and pass it down from generation to generation.
Cointreau
This is a Triple Sec liqueur of French origin widely consumed in the world, produced from a mixture of sweet and bitter oranges. Its production is due to an ancient recipe, whose components have not changed since the appearance of the alcoholic beverage. 
Cointreau is obtained from the distillation of orange peels of different varieties and origins, both sweet and bitter, which are dried in the sun, macerated and distilled in copper stills. The final result of this process is an essential oil that gives the liqueur an intense and very natural aroma, between sweet and bitter, which manages to envelop the palate of those who taste it.
Cognac
Cognac is a type of French brandy made in the city that bears the same name, based on the double distillation of white grape wine in copper containers and its aging in oak barrels. 
Cognac can only be sold to the public and really called cognac when it has spent at least two years aging in oak barrels, always counted from the end of the distillation period. This liqueur is one of the alcoholic beverages with a Denomination of Origin, whose purpose is none other than to ensure the quality, production and rights of a delicacy that crosses borders.
Crème de cassis
This is a liqueur produced in the Burgundy region, France, and is made with black currants, most of the time of the Noir de Bourgogne and Black Down varieties. It is a drink with an interesting dark red color and a creamy and concentrated consistency. 
The crème de cassis is made by macerating the berries, which are carefully selected, then crushed and put in a fermentation process in caves, where in their cellars they will rest for a minimum of 10 months. After this time they are pressed, resulting in a pleasant and tasty juice, which is mixed with sugar syrup and neutral alcohol. The product obtained is filtered, analyzed and bottled.
Floc de Gascony
This is another French liqueur that will not leave you indifferent. It arises from the mixture of grape must and Armagnac; this result is usually aged in oak casks, which allows it to obtain a higher quality aroma and flavor. 
It is usually drunk as an aperitif, its alcoholic content does not exceed 20% and we can find a white floc de Gascogne and a pink one whose color is rather red.
Grand Marnier
This liqueur of French origin was produced in 1880, and since then it has been considered the first great French liqueur. It is characterized by a bright topaz color with some golden and amber shades. 
Grand Marnier has aromas of oranges, caramel and flowers, a somewhat bitter taste with hints of chestnut, a definite cognac flavor and notes of oranges that make it delicious and a perfect choice when it comes to digestives.
The recipe of this fascinating French liqueur is a secret and it is made by macerating the orange peels in neutral alcohol and then undergoing a slow steam distillation. The liqueur obtained is combined with cognacs and sugar syrup syrup, and then stored in oak casks for at least two years, which will give it its particular soft and dry aroma.
Pastís
Pastís is an aniseed liqueur of French origin with a high alcoholic content of between 40% and 45%. Its flavor, aroma and origin have catapulted it among the greatest liqueurs in the world. 
Pastís arose thanks to the prohibition in 1916 of absinthe and absinthe, its creators used star anise, green anise and licorice to make possible a delicious liqueur which would turn out to be a standard for the country. It is usually drunk cold, as a refreshing and aperitif drink, although some people prefer to drink it on the rocks.
