The French and their elderberries

St. Germain Liqueur
Product of France
750 ml bottle
$39.99 at West Vail Liquor Mart

St. Germain is a very unique liqueur hailing from France. The star of this amazing, all natural liqueur is the 100% fresh handpicked elderflowers. They are harvested only once a year and rode by bicycle in rural France to be processed. A special press was created so the sweetness of the elderflower could be preserved.

The beautiful belle époque bottle is reason enough to buy this liqueur simply to display on your bar. After you get past the vanity of the bottle alone, you can acknowledge its sweet, lemon aroma and honeyed pear flavor.

St. Germain will impress the most discriminating of guests. Imagine offering cocktails such as a Pear Tree Martini, Sangria Flora or La Rosette. The beauty of St. Germain is that you can serve it on the rocks or pair it with a variety of spirits to create new and interesting cocktails.

La Rosette is a cocktail of a ½ part St. Germain and topped with sparkling wine. Add a strawberry or raspberry garnish and you have a lovely cocktail for a special day or any day!

Marissa at West Vail Liquor Mart

Lost Abbey's "Angel's Share"

Lost Abbey “Angel’s Share” – Port Brewery, San Marcos, CA
12.7 ounce bottle - 11.5 ABV
$19.99 at West Vail Liquor Mart

Lost Abbey’s “Angel’s Share” is a rare treat! This special release is brewed once a year and is aged for 9 months in oak barrels that had been previously used to age whiskey. The result is apparent from the time you pop the cork. The aroma of oak and whiskey accompany the barleywine scent, allowing your nose to prepare your palate for the delicious flavor to come. The ale pours smooth and dark with little head. The dark caramel malt in the ale gives it a rich deep brown, almost black color. It is a sweet ale with a good kick at 11.5 alcohol by volume. The ale is best enjoyed slowly as it warms and opens is subtle notes of vanilla and caramel. “Angel’s Share” is a term used by whiskey distillers, and refers to the portion of whiskey that evaporates into the barrel during the aging process. Fortunately, the brewers from the Lost Abbey have found a way to recoup a bit of the “Angel’s Share” for us mere mortals! This very limited release is available while it lasts!