CHINOLA Passion Fruit Liqueur

Put away any preconceptions you may have about fruit flavored liqueurs. Chinola is amazingly tart, fresh and natural tasting. Usually, liqueurs tend to be cloyingly sweet, and artificial tasting (what manufacturers call "natural flavoring"). Chinola outshines any other passion fruit liqueurs on the market, with a product that truly tastes made in-house. Yet, unlike most syrups, it is shelf stable and does not have to be used within a few weeks. This will be a huge benefit to your bar if you sell Porn Star Martinis. As well, it's a great tool to have on your backbar for tiki style libations like Trader Vic's Grog and Puka Punch.

So, I’ve not been posting as much lately because I’ve just been whipping up cocktail after cocktail. Really digging the cocktails. I guess what I’m saying, is that this was an impulse purchase during cocktail season. I would never otherwise look at something like this. What is it anyway? Opaque, quite opaque. Like cloudier than a dark, imperial flat IPA. Viscous. Oh, and it’s orange. Passion fruit all the way. Basically juice. Room temperature passionfruit juice. At this point I’m thinking, “is this a pure or syrup?” Oh, hello alcohol. Well, sort of. Rose flower bush? It’s still basically syrup with added vodka and a dash of perfume? That astringent slap at the beginning is taken over violently as your parotid glass try to save themselves from the citrus concentrate. You kind of forget that for 2s it tasted like wheat vodka. This is bizarre to me. And I like it. Spritz? Needs nothing but ice. Champaign makes it better? It’s like a good curaçao found it’s way into an enhanced syrup form. I can see this being amazing with tequilla, rum, vodka - and dare I say high rye bourbon + this = tiki old fashioned?

Big passion fruit taste and not too syrupy to drink straight. Like drinking boozy fruit nectar. Perfect for the summer!