Review: Becherovka Original Liqueur
For 200 years, Becherovka liqueur has been a Czech staple. Now it’s arriving on our shores, courtesy of Pernod Ricard.
This strange, secret recipe spirit is nothing if not unique.
The nose brings big, almost straightforward cinnamon, anise,$26/ and allspice notes. But taking a sip provides a vastly different experience. Initially quite sweet, Becherovka quickly fades toward bitter, growing more and more powerful as the finish comes on like a freight train. That cinnamon soon turns into intensely herbal bitterness — licorice and chicory notes mingling with baking spices.
While it’s a pale yellow in color, it ultimately presents itself more like a dark amaro, bittersweet and biting. The end result is quite intriguing, but it’s hot and alcoholic, characteristic of Eastern European spirits, and lacking the kind of balance that you get from bitter Italian digestifs.
76 proof.
B- / $26 / becherovka.com [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]
I’ve sold this in various store in different states since ’00 IIRC. Still it’s something most haven’t tried.