St. Elder Natural Elderflower Liqueur

This review for St. Elder Natural Elderflower Liqueur follows my previous review for the original, St. Germain. Let's see how it measures up: Origin: United States Alcohol by Volume: 20% Cost: $16.99 Nose: Sweet, with less vibrancy. This is considerably lighter than St. Germain. Fruity and floral, but lacks the depth, richness, and the green, "leafy" quality of St. Germain. It has a sweetness akin to a light agave syrup and leans more towards canned peaches and subtle citrus. Palate: Sweet, bright, and fruity, with softer floral notes. While St. Germain feels silky and syrupy, this has a gentle and velvety texture. I'm unsure of the base spirit, but I detect a slight dull graininess. Similar to the nose, it has a more agave-like character than honey. It's not as dense or layered as St. Germain – it's a fairly straightforward peachy-citrusy-floral profile. Finish: A short and sweet finish, with the slightest hint of citrusy bitterness as it fades. Conclusion: It's not bad by any means, but St. Elder doesn't quite reach the same level of excellence as St. Germain. I miss the depth and richness of St. Germain as St. Elder doesn't offer as many dimensions. I believe it would serve as a fine substitute for St. Germain in cocktails, and it would also save you around $10. However, when comparing them, especially when tasting neat, there's no real contest between the two. 3.75 ~ Very Good

Very little information on the bottle, other than it's handcrafted in small batches, which is meaningless as these terms are not regulated. It also suggests topping with Prosecco, which is incredibly masculine. I sampled it neat, though not recommended. It's sweet, with a perfume-like aroma and taste. It's somewhat pleasant. When prepared as suggested, it does blend well with Prosecco. The floral notes don't overwhelm in various cocktails, making it a good mixer. Only a madman would drink this neat more than once.

My go-to. I use it instead of simple syrup. It adds some flavor. Not quite as rich as St. Germain but quite good and more affordable.

An affordable way to make a St. Germaine and champagne cocktail. I combine it with Barefoot's Brut Cuvée champagne for an ideal mixed drink.

The lychee flavor is prominent in both the taste and smell. It is very sweet and easy to drink.

Nice light floral flavor, almost tastes like lychee. Decent for the price.