Review: JVR Spirits Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur
JVR Spirits is a small Portland operation, and Krupnik — a homegrown hooch made by the founder’s father decades ago — is the company’s only product. It takes balls to make a spiced honey liqueur your only product (for now, anyway), but who are we to judge? We don’t have any products!
Krupnik is an old-timey (turn of the century — no the other century) recipe that is made from “organic spices, organic citrus, and wildflower honey.” The name is actually a generic term for a Polish honey liqueur, but recipes will very widely in the old country. There’s not much additional production information available on this bottling, but if you’re familiar with Drambuie, you’re at least up on the basic idea here.
Where Krupnik diverges is through the hefty dosing of spices in the mix. The base honey is intense and earthy, slightly smoky and pungent with a hefty blend of herbs and spices. The body is thick and rich without being syrupy. Cinnamon and cloves, ginger, orange peel, and peppermint start off the show. The finish features notes of charred caramel and dark chocolate — exotic, but surprisingly satisfying.
Krupnik is a spirit that starts off with power but eventually showcases grace and no small amount of Old World opulence. Dense without being overwhelming, it’s a delightful change of pace from more staid honey liqueurs.
70 proof.
A- / $39
JVR Spirits Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur
$39
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