Stumbras Krupnikas

Appearance: See-through, light straw-gold with no particles. Resembles chardonnay visually. Aroma: Notes of honey and herbal tea. Reminds one of honey and herb throat drops, with honey being the primary scent. It's subtle, not a heavy fragrance. Taste and Mouthfeel: The first taste is sweet, diluted honey, quickly followed by an underlying herbal character. It's warm, intricate, well-rounded, and comforting, without any single herb dominating. The texture is full-bodied but not heavy or thick. There's a noticeable alcohol presence, yet it's smooth and not harsh. It provides the typical warmth and comfort found when sugar balances a reasonably high alcohol content. The finish is of mildly spiced honey and lingers. Krupnikas is the Lithuanian term for honey liqueur (known as krupnik in Poland). This is my initial experience with it, and it differed from my expectations. I've had other honey liqueurs before, but they were more one-dimensional, heavily honey-focused, and typically had a rather sharp character. This, however, strongly resembles both DOM Benedictine and Drambuie, which was unexpected. Imagine either of those with the honey flavor amplified and clearly leading. I couldn't pinpoint all the herbs used, but there are clear hints of clove, sweet cinnamon, aromatic herbs, and some kind of citrus zest. AB Stumbras is Lithuania's largest alcohol producer, but this is the first of their items I've sampled. Commercial versions of traditional drinks like this can sometimes be quite weak or lack character, but they seem to have done well with this krupnikas based on my impression. Unexpected and remarkable, especially considering the very fair price. I would purchase this again. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)