Bénédictine

Appearance: Amber gold. Aroma: Citrus peel and honey are the dominant notes, built upon a foundation of spice and herbal extracts so elaborate as to prohibit analysis. It is a nose possessed of such complexity it presents as one balanced aroma that is simultaneously sweet, floral, herbal and earthy. Flavour and Texture: Intense honey sweetness in the arrival with a thick mouth-coating texture. The palate is warming at first, then hot and spicy with sweet cinnamon, clove, ginger, saffron, citrus peel, and many other flavours. Herbal notes become more prominent in mid palate before it transitions to a long spiced-honey finish. Bénédictine is a monumental liqueur - I'm dismayed it has only 25 tastes here and no official review. In my opinion it is at its best when taken neat. No ice, no water - nothing. Just by itself in a small glass. Ponder it, savour it. It does also have a rapport with chocolate and coffee and there are few finer resolutions to a meal than a small glass of Bénédictine with a demitasse of black coffee. Bénédictine is also an essential base for several iconic cocktails including the Singapore Sling, Poet's Dream, Bobby Burns, Brainstorm, Honeymoon, Queen Elizabeth and Monte Carlo. For the fearless of heart it can be consumed as a B&B (Bénédictine and cognac in equal measure) but don't blame me for the hangover. If you have never tasted Bénédictine, you should. It is one of the finest liqueurs in existence. "Outstanding" : 92/100 (5 stars)

While I usually think of the yogurt and cucumber based spread with fennel when I hear Benedictine, @cascode changed my perception - for the better. This is an odd liquid. Rich golden color, syrupy viscosity. The nose is that of fennel, cedar, pine, oak, peppermint candy, mild tobacco, agave, dark chocolate, espresso and a bit of juniper. Thick, rich, sweet, spicy, earthy and woody. Wow. Many of the notes from the nose are there and in excellent balance, with the one exception being that some might find it to be overly sweet. Personally, I think they got it just right. There are no bitter, overpowering notes (ie. Campari, Aperol, etc). Something to be savored and could be paired with a dessert or cigar. Frankly, I think it is a head above Green Chartreuse but I could be premature in saying that. This, stand alone, is excellent and almost shouldn’t be mixed. What I do wonder is how this would cocktail and I see myself pairing this with mezcal joven or rye whiskey but could even complement an Islay (I’m looking at Lag 16 and Uigeadal, blasphemous but also fantastic potential) to bring out the richly sweet side of a smokey single malt. Could also go with brandy, but again, this is quite stellar on its own and unlike much else that I’ve tried. At the risk of sounding demeaning, I would reach and say this is not entirely different Jäegermeister, except that this is better in every way (unless, perhaps, mixed with RedBull - if people are even still doing that).

Whenever Spring arrives, so does my annual bottle of Benedictine. It somehow edges out Drambuie for that "honey herbal liqueur" spot on my shelf, and will always help determine which Cognac I keep around; if it happens to play nice with Benedictine, then it gets special consideration. The nose is sweet and floral with plenty of orange blossom, and a hint of lemongrass and pine. Thick, syrupy, but surprisingly hot on the front end, with prominent honey and mint. This is accompanied by the sap-soaked needles of that pine tree, which creates an ever-so-slight edge to make it all the more interesting. While sufficiently complex, the sweetness really needs a little brandy (ideally equal parts) to get it back on track as a truly stellar drink for any season.

I think Benedictine is an underutilized cocktail ingredient that seems to elevate any cocktail it goes into. It is also one of the few liqueurs that you can drink neat. The nose is heavy on the baking spices and a faint hint of lemon peel. The palate mainly features honey, with a touch of sweetness, but not overwhelmingly so. It is thick, but not too syrupy. The finish has no burn, with some nice herbal and pine notes. I don't tend to grade liqueurs on their usefulness neat, but this one holds up pretty well. I would still only buy this as a cocktail ingredient, but it's a worthy one to have around, especially if you want to explore creating new cocktails (and of course the many classic cocktails that this one is in).

One of my favorite liqueurs. Tastes like honey with a ton of holiday spices and a cinnamon flavor that lingers. The heat is just right and does not taste too boozy. This is pleasant to sip on, but my favorite way to use it is with old Tom gin and dry vermouth in a Ford or with rye whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth in a vieux carre.

Tried neat. On the nares its fruity and sweet with notes of brown sugar, cherry, grape, apple, pear,orange, tea. On the palate delicious and rich and savory with notes of green tea, mint, cocoa nibs & surprising notes of coffee and whats crazy is also like a packet of tea on my tounge. This shit is delicious