Fruity-licious cocktails are on the menu with this month’s in-the-spirit. We thought it was about time we looked more closely at some of the ingredients used in our fabulous cocktail recipes and were amazed when we realised how many of the liqueurs we regularly use in our cocktail recipes have fruit has their main flavour.

Cocktail liqueurs are made with many different ingredients – from aniseed to cacao beans, mint and other unusual herbs and spices, to flower essences as well as fruit. The fruits can be those we recognise as well as the slightly more exotic. Our sponsors De Kuyper cocktail liqueurs produce a vast range of liqueurs which are made from the highest quality raw materials. These ingredients are freshly harvested and are stored in traditional stone jars before they are used in order to preserve the maximum flavour. The fruit raw materials are usually sliced and macerated (that means soaked to you and me!) in pure alcohol to extract all their flavour and colour. Then depending on the individual recipe, natural herb essences, brandy and sugar is added.

Using De Kuyper Cherry Brandy as an example, the cherry kernels are also used as part of the distillation process which gives it an incomparable almondy flavour. One of the more unusual ingredients that you may not have realised was actually a fruit is the Curaçao. This is a small bitter orange type fruit which comes from a small island in the Caribbean called Curaçao. Curaçao liqueurs are made with the dried peel from the fruit which gives a unique tangy flavour. Triple Sec (literally meaning “triple dry”) is also made from the Curaçao fruit and is distilled three times which gives a drier tasting liqueur but still with the juicy orange flavour. There are many cocktail liqueurs which are referred to as “Crème de .. “. This is a French term which refers to the main flavour of the liqueur – not that it contains cream! For example there is Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant flavour), Crème de Bananes (banana flavour) – all of which use fresh fruit as their base.

So with fruity flavours as our inspiration – we are delighted to recommend the following fruity cocktail suggestions which are sure you will enjoy trying out as much as we did testing them out on your behalf!

Made with delicious Apricot Brandy, this cocktail recipe really is an Apricot Dream - a luscious combination of De Kuyper Apricot Brandy and Triple Sec and spiced up with some dark rum. Topped up with pineapple juice this is a sublime drink we know you will take a shine to.

Our Cherry Blossom cocktail is a mouth watering blend of De Kuyper Cherry Brandy and Triple Sec together with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a little caster sugar to balance out the tangy fruit flavours and the sweetness.

Hot’n’Fruity - this is a delicious mix of De Kuyper Crème de Cassis together with Dark Rum and Noilly Prat Dry. All the ingredients are mixed together in a cocktail shaker and to enjoy it to the max, serve in a tumbler glass filled with cubed or cracked ice. For the perfect garnish add some fresh raspberries. The “hot” part is the rum whilst the “fruity” taste comes from the Crème de Cassis. Enjoy.

If a tangy and slightly sharp taste is more your thing then the Lemon Drop cocktail could be the one for you! This is a zingy blend of vodka and De Kuyper Triple Sec with half a shot of freshly squeezed lemon juice for the ultimate citrus flavour.

in-the-spirit recommends drinking cocktails in moderation.