We’re here to make a case for this stone fruit brandy (or liqueur) to take a permanent spot on your bar cart.
Okay, let’s get something straight. Apricot brandy is not just something that’s been gathering dust in your grandma's cupboard for the past decade – it’s possible that she has a bottle, but it’s so much more than that. First off, there's apricot brandy and there's also apricot liqueur, and while they're not exactly the same, you can generally use them (almost) interchangeably.
Apricot brandy is distilled from apricots, and its sweetness comes from the fruit rather than added sugar. Apricot liqueur, on the other hand, usually has sweetener added. Still with us? If you have apricot liqueur at home, don’t toss it; simply pour a little less than the amount called for, otherwise your cocktail will be a little OTT when it comes to the sweetness. Ready to get mixing? These are six of our best apricot brandy cocktails.
Cuba sure has been responsible for more than a few of our favourite cocktails – the Mojito, Cuba Libre and Daiquiri, to name a few. But it's also the home of the Hotel Nacional (AKA the winter Daiquiri). It's all dark rum (yum), apricot brandy, pineapple juice and lemon juice (always remember, fresh is best), and it’s garnished with a chunky wedge of pineapple. It's exactly what we drink when we're stuck at home wishing we were sitting on the pristine beaches of Cuba.
