Licor 43

Nose: Some earth, grain, and alcohol burn. It resembles a wheat vodka, but with a bit more sweetness, hints of orange, and a touch of herbs. It's also somewhat spicy, leading to a concern about potential harshness. Palate: Starts sweet, then a spicy, alcoholic bite emerges. Clearly a vodka foundation. It's a little harsh, but manageable. There's a hint of orange, but sweeter than soda, more like a light caramel. It brings to mind the sweet caramel aspect of Don Julio 1942, though less refined and more one-dimensional. Perhaps a bit like cream soda? Yes, that comes through slightly. Maybe brown sugar notes? Ultimately, it predominantly tastes of various sugars. I appreciate the rich, full, viscous texture on the palate, but the alcohol impact is somewhat rough. Any actual spice notes seem to be overwhelmed by the alcoholic harshness. Finish: A lingering alcohol warmth. It leans more towards the alcohol character of vodka than distinct spice flavors. Conclusion: It's surprising to hear about the 43 botanicals; it barely registers a single one. I didn't have enough to experiment much in cocktails, but given its syrupy nature, I can anticipate the outcome. It's significantly better than standard flavored vodkas. It pairs acceptably with Rémy Martin 1738, although the Rémy Martin seems to be carrying most of the flavor. This spirit is quite enjoyable with soda water. There's a subtle artificial note, but I find it preferable to most commercial sodas, as it lacks that metallic quality. I could see lowering the score to a 10, but it's decent enough to avoid that. A 14 feels too high. I've been wavering around a 12, and that's where I'm settling. While it's good with soda, that's not a strong endorsement for a spirit on its own. Upon further reflection and final sips, I'm leaning towards a 10 or 11. I'll settle on an 11. I might have given the impression that it was overly harsh. It wasn't excessively so; rather, the alcohol presence was noticeable, reminding me of the vodka base. This isn't inherently bad on its own (though not exceptional). The main issue is its lack of compelling flavor, whether neat or in cocktails. Perhaps an 11 is slightly too severe a score (or perhaps not), but the harshness isn't a major detractor. My best guess is that this would work well as a replacement for simple syrup or honey syrup in a spirited variation of a cocktail.

Another 50ml of a spirit I wouldn't typically sample, though I have no idea what to expect here. The only context I've ever encountered for Licor 43 is a "little beer," and I'm not even sure what that involves. Instead of checking out any reviews or known components, I prefer to experience this blind, treating it as any other "secret" imported liqueur, hoping it won't be excessively sweet or overly focused on any single ingredient. The appearance is a beautiful golden honey hue that catches the light exceptionally well; were it not for the texture and movement within the glass, it would be difficult to distinguish from actual honey from a distance. The aroma begins with a sharp note of bitterness and herbal qualities, strongly reminiscent of a genever, but slightly sweeter. The alcohol is surprisingly quite noticeable given the lower proof, and a full-bodied honey essence also brings Drambuie to mind to some degree. The initial taste is not as pronounced or dominant as the initial mouthfeel, which is rich and viscous, but not necessarily sticky or thick. As it swirls in the mouth, honey and vanilla are extremely prominent, just bordering on excessive (think "birthday cake syndrome"). The herbal, floral, and other botanical notes from the "genever" impression in the aroma present themselves first, after you get past the sweetness, followed by a slightly spicy foundation of alcohol. The finish returns to the sweetness, while the floral and herbal notes create a slight dryness on the palate. This is easily the sweetest liqueur I've ever tasted that doesn't come across as too overwhelming or distracting. There have certainly been sweeter concoctions, but this sits right on the edge of being too much, and would work well if you wanted a vanilla or honey flavored drink that didn't assault your teeth with sweetness. Having said that, the very thick texture that was initially unique and enjoyable prevents drinking this in large quantities, and makes it challenging to finish even 50ml. If you're a fan of low-proof sweetened liqueurs and are seeking your next dessert beverage, give this a shot, but anticipate a bottle lasting a long time in terms of volume consumed.

Appearance: Transparent marigold yellow. Aroma: Intense vanilla with undertones of musky citrus, sandalwood, rose and cacao. Flavor and Texture: Very sweet vanilla with buttery spice notes. There are some complex nutty, citrus, honeyed and spice flavors lurking in the background but they never rise high enough in volume to challenge the loud vanilla presence. The texture is thick, luxurious and satiny and it finishes with a sweet chocolate fudge or toffee aftertaste. An unusual liquor, there is a lot going on but it is very much an intertwined profile with only vanilla standing out. It is just barely drinkable neat but exceptionally sweet – much too sweet for my palate - and I prefer it when used as an ingredient. Drinking it neat makes me imagine what drinking neat agave syrup would be like. It goes well as a topping over ice cream and it would probably be an interesting substitute in any cocktail where Galliano or Strega is normally used. It could also be an engaging variation in desserts that normally employ sugar syrup or honey, however the best use I can imagine for this is in black coffee. It's worth a taste and probably worth adding to the bar as an oddity if you happen to see it on special. I certainly don’t dislike it, but I have a feeling this bottle is going to last a very long time. The official review notes are good, but a score of 90 seems overly generous for what is, to me at least, a competent liqueur at best. However if you have a bottomless sweet tooth or really, really love the smell and taste of vanilla then you’ll be over the moon about this. By the way - Licor 43 also makes two other liqueurs that use this as a base - Horchata, which is a creamy herbal/nut liqueur, and Baristo which is a coffee liqueur. In my opinion both are superior to the original Licor 43. “Average”: 75/100 (2.5 stars)

Deceptively strong since it smells very sweet. The taste is also sweet, but there's some alcohol that is masked in the aroma. Definitely tastes of vanilla; some honey too. Less citrusy and less fruity than I anticipated (there is some citrus, but it's very much in the background). Not particularly herbal either (I thought this might be a Spanish amaro; it is not). Benedictine may be the closest comparison, but 43 has a more syrupy profile and a stronger vanilla presence.

Sampled this on the rocks at a resort in Cancun. The aroma offers a strong vanilla and citrus scent. The taste followed through with a fairly sweet vanilla, citrus, and tropical fruit flavor. Once the sweetness faded, the flavor brought to mind orange cough syrup from my childhood. Overall, it's acceptable, but not something I would purchase.

This was used instead of triple sec when none was available, as it was the closest substitute. In a lemon martini, the addition of Licor 43 brought a deep citrus and honey flavor, significantly enhancing the simple lemon drink with layers of taste. This is fantastic.