Liqueur whiskey

I have always been a fan of whiskey liqueurs and have started collecting those I am able to get my hands on. Whiskies were often flavoured in earlier times to make the brew more palatable.

Some blenders used to describe their products as liqueur whisky, intending to convey a sense of sophistication and giving a 'digestif' quality to the product. This term now has no real meaning and is falling out of use. Whisky Liqueur has an altogether different meaning.

Deriving from the French liquor, the word now refers to a flavoured spirit, usually sweet, which can be based on any grain alcohol, though we only look at liqueurs, which are based on whisky. The flavouring agent in the drink, which can be herbs, flowers, fruit, seeds or roots, is introduced to the spirit base by re-distillation, infusion or maceration.

By implication, a liqueur is of high quality, to be savoured rather than hastily gulped. Scotland, Ireland and The United States all produce whisky-based liqueurs, a number of which are internationally known by their names and the romantic stories attached to their creation.

Famous whisky liqueurs

Atholl Brose (Scotch whisky, Benromach single malt spirit, honey, secret spice recipe, from Gordon & Macphail)

Bruadar (Scotch whisky, honey, sloe)

Cock o' the North (single malt, blaeberry)

Columba Cream Liqueur

Drambuie (Scotch, heather honey, herbs, and spices)

Drumgray Cream Liqueur

Eblana (Irish whiskey, coffee, honey, almond, peanut)

Fairlies Light Highland Liqueur.

Famous Grouse liqueur (Scotch, bourbon, citrus, spices)

Fireball Cinnamon Whisky (Canadian whisky, cinnamon, spices)

Glayva (Scotch, Seville oranges, herbs, and honey)

Glenfiddich Malt liqueur (Scotch, citrus, pear, brown sugar)

Glenturret Malt liqueur (Glenturret single malt, honey, spices)

Hebridean Whisky Liqueur

Heather Cream

High Peak Liqueur

Irish Mist (aged Irish whiskey, heather and clover honey, aromatic herbs, and other spirits)

Jack Daniels Honey

Jeremiah Weed (Bourbon whiskey, orange, vanilla)

Johnnie Walker Liqueur

Lakeland Liqueur

Lochan Ora (Chivas, honey, herbs and spices)

Murray Scottish Highland Liqueur (Scotch, honey, sloe)

Old Pulteney liqueur (Old Pulteney single malt, prune, spices)

Orangerie (Scotch, oranges, spices)

Rock and Rye (American rye whiskey, citrus, rock candy)

Scottish Island Liqueur

Sortilège Maple Whiskey Liqueur

Stag's Breath (Speyside malts and fermented comb honey)

Wallace Liqueur (Deanston single malt, Scottish berries, French herbs)

William Shakespeare's Whisky Liqueur

Wild Turkey American Honey (Wild Turkey (bourbon), honey, spices)

Yukon Jack (Canadian whisky, honey)

Many of these liqueurs are scarce.