From local liqueur brands down to international ones, the art of making liqueur is similar across the board, even though every producer has its secret formula. So, if there is a base spirit in the liqueur from 2XL Swagger brands, there will also be one in the one coming from another brand – be it a brand that is domiciled locally or internationally. Hence, saying that there is no liqueur without a base spirit is an incontestable fact. What is this base spirit you may ask? Well, base spirit is the alcohol upon which the formulation of liqueur is hinged. This means that the alcoholic strength of liqueur is traceable to the base spirit. It is in light of this information that we will now focus on the base spirits commonly used in the production of liqueur.
Vodka
The versatility and neutrality of vodka make it a great base spirit for the production of liqueur. That said, it is sometimes considered to have relatively lower alcohol content then the production process may be longer when using it. Vodka has an alcohol content of about 40 – 50% ABV. Vodka may, however, be the best base spirit for making medicinal liqueurs – this would depend on its that is, the vodka’s texture, though.
Brandy
Brandy is yet another common base alcohol that can be used in extracting active ingredients from the herbs, spices, etc., used in preparing liqueurs. It has got an alcohol content of about 40%, and the fact that it is made from a variety of fruits somewhat makes it one of the most suitable base alcohol for fruity liqueurs. You may even consider brandy when preparing the liqueur that you intend to add to a cocktail; it does a great job there.
Whiskey
Lovers of fruit liqueurs will surely cherish having a bottle of whiskey around. The reason is down to the fact that it blends finely with a wide array of fruits – berries, apricots, plums. You name them. Whiskey has an alcohol content of 40 – 50% ABV, and it is usually distilled from grains such as wheat, barley, corn, and rye.
Gin
This is another suitable base alcohol for making liqueurs that will be added to cocktails as it blends smoothly with other ingredients to create a pleasing texture – this makes it perfect for layered drinks. Gin will also work well in the production of herbal and fruit liqueurs – another highly versatile option, you may say. Gin has a maximum alcohol content of about 47% ABV.
Rum
As the base alcohol, rum will not only pull out the active ingredients from those herbs, fruits, and so on but also bring on its own flavor into the mix. This means you should anticipate making a richly flavored liqueur when you use rum. Its alcohol content is around 40% ABV. Here is another spirit that would give you nothing short of a smooth blend.
Tequila
Lastly, we have the Mexican pride, Tequila, which also has an alcohol content of 40 – 50% ABV. Tequila has extensively been used in the production of fruit liqueurs, and it will also be good to have in a cocktail mix. The naturally occurring Agave sugar in Tequila is a plus on its own.
