Salers Gentiane Aperitif

5.17.23 Served: Chilled, Snifter Bottle Open: 1 Week Last intake: Grilled cheese I have repeatedly reached for this bottle this week, trying to find some redeemable quality in this liqueur. I can only drink so much of it before I just have to admit that it's boring. Like roasted peanut shells in thick, slightly sweet water. There are whispers of flavor here and there, and the flavors are surprisingly responsive to ice. This might make a martini more interesting. And it grows on you as you drink. Not everything has to be a flavor bomb, so I suppose this has its niche. But I was really hoping for more for the price. 2.5/5 I iust don't get it.

I typically don't drink bitter liqueurs neat, but I do love them in cocktails so I tend to have a decent number lying around. Salers apparently comes in a few different proofs but from what I can tell in the US I can only get the 32 proof. On the nose the herbal notes are at the forefront. After a sip or two, despite the low proof it definitely is not sweet, in fact it's pretty dry, and the gentian root is the first thing you taste. The bitterness follows right after and doesnt let go. The finish is pretty smooth and gradually allows the bitterness to slip away. At only $20 it's a pretty useful bitter liqueur for cocktails. I'm sure most people wont drink this neat often but if so, they probably will appreciate its straight forward gentian root forward taste. As a cocktail ingredient I would go with a 4. Neat or over ice I would lean towards a 3/3.25.

Not too sweet and it really turns around with a squeeze of lemon.

Bitter genetin-based French aperitif. Light yellow, herbal, and lightly bitter without much sweetness (unlike Suze). Mixes well.