Liqueurs Cordials

Liqueurs are alcohohc beverages with at least 15% (advocaat 14%) hy volume alcohol and at least 150 g/1 of sugar (expressed as invert sugar) and flavored with fruit, spices, extracts or essences. 

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Ethyl Carbamate. In November 1985, the Canadian Government indicated that it had detected ethyl carbamate [51-79-6] (urethane), a suspected carcinogen, in some wines and distilled spirits. Since that time, the U.S. distilled spirits industry has mounted a serious effort to monitor and reduce the amount of ethyl carbamate (EC) in its products. In December 1985, the Canadian Government set limits of 150 ppb in distilled spirits and 400 ppb in fruit brandies, cordials, and liqueurs. The FDA accepted a plan in 1987 from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) to reduce ethyl carbamate in whiskey to 125 ppb or less, beginning with all new production in January 1989. 

Folklore The oil has insect repellent properties. The herb is used in cooking to impart a lemon flavour to the food. It is an ingredient of a melissa cordial made by Carmelite nuns as well as being included in other liqueurs such as benedic-tine and chartreuse. Traditionally the herb was seen as an antidepressive. (Bown, 2003 British Herbal Medicine Association, 1983 Graenwald et al., 2002 Tierra, 1998). 

Liqueurs and Cordials,—These beverages are strongly spirituous, and usually sweetened compounds flavoured with aromatic herbs, essences, or fruit extracts, and often coloured. There is no real difference between them, but the word "liqueur is usually applied to foreign products, whilst the British preparations are termed " cordials. ... 

Liqueurs and Cordials.—The raw materials for the manufacture of liqueurs and cordials are necessarily classified in a different manner from those used in the distilled spirit or wine industries. In general they may be divided into three broad groups with subdivisions as indicated ... 

The following is a partial list of coloring agents used in the production of liqueurs and cordials ... 

General Statement.—Liqueurs and Cordials constitute a group of alcoholic beverages of a somewhat exotic nature. They are usually made from rectified alcohol, refined cane sugar and flavoring and aromatic substances extracted from fruits, herbs, seeds and roots. On account of their high content of sugar they are rarely consumed in any quantity and serve either as appetizers or as after dinner relishes. 

Classification.—The aim of all cordial and liqueur manufacture is a product in which the various separate constituents are so blended and united that only a summation is tasted by the drinker rather than a number of discordant single flavors. The varying degrees of success with which this object has been achieved and also the variations in concentration of the liqueur in alcohol, flavor and sugar have resulted in the recognition, especially in France, of a number of grades of liqueur, as follows ... 

When the flavoring material is not derived in whole directly from a flower, fruit, plant, etc., the name of any such flower, fruit, plant, etc., should not be given to any cordial or liqueur unless the name is preceded by the word Imitation. ... 

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