Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette

I have been experimenting with traditional cocktails, and some required a "Creme de Violette" liqueur. This bottle looked cooler than the other option at my local store. The liquid has a faint floral aroma that's also quite sweet. I'll cover the cocktails soon, but I did sample it solo, and it wasn't awful. On its own, it's intensely floral and cloyingly sweet. It mellows with ice or water, though I wasn't a big fan. I did mix a few ounces of milk with some, and the resulting drink was decent, somewhat like a grown-up purple cow with floral notes. I've mainly used it for Aviation and Blue Moon cocktails, and the impact it has is fantastic. The Aviation can be made with or without it, but I much prefer it with the Creme de Violette. It's a highly specialized liqueur, and finishing the bottle will likely take me over a year, but it excels at its purpose. As long as I have room in my bar and I'm making classic old cocktails, I'll keep this on hand.

I bought this primarily to make Aviations and Blue Moons. I enjoy Zirbenz Stone Pine liqueur, so I chose this Austrian alpine creme de violette. When tasted neat, the liqueur delivers a strong violet flavor, but it's a bit too sugary and syrupy. I'm still adjusting the ideal ratio of lemon juice to violet (most recipes use too much lemon for my preference), but it imparts a wonderful floral quality and can negate the need for simple syrup. I likely won't keep it stocked constantly, but it's a very nice addition to have on hand.

The aroma is very floral with a slight hint of cane sugar and spice. The flavor is highly floral with a touch of grape and spice. This liqueur contains a significant amount of sugar and has a syrupy texture. It finishes with a violet candy taste. Overall, this liquor is quite distinctive. It's an excellent addition to an Aviation cocktail, providing sweetness without needing simple syrup.

I acquired this to make an Aviation and was advised to opt for the slightly pricier option, as the less expensive variety has a somewhat artificial taste. I wasn't sure what to anticipate regarding the flavor, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's certainly very floral, yet not excessively sweet? A small amount is potent, but it's quite good.

A floral liqueur made in Oberösterreich (Upper Austria) using Queen Charlotte and March violets, combined with Weinbrand. It has an aromatic beginning with notes of flowers and brandy, a rich development, and a floral finish of moderate length. November 2016 / September 2017

The nose is full of flowers and sugar, and the palate echoes this. The palate is quite floral, but once you get past that, it's fantastic.