Black Magic

A distilled, highly alcoholic (45-75% ABV), anise-flavored beverage derived from botanicals like wormwood, green anise, fennel, hyssop, melissa and other herbs. Technically a spirit, as it is not bottled with sugar. The green fairy.

A brandy produced in the wine-region surrounding Cognac, France. Cognac must be twice distilled and aged for at least two years in French oak.

A rum aged in charred oak barrels that lend their color to the rum. If a recipe calls for this rum it is likely refuring to a darker colored rum with a rich and strong yet smooth flavor. Common varieties come from Jamaica and Haiti.

A sweet mint-flavored liqueur. It is flavored with Corsican mint and dried peppermint. Commonly consumed as a digestif or in cocktails such as the Grasshopper and Stinger.

A grape distilled base amaro made from various herbs, such as myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe and saffron. Typically 45% ABV.

A syrup made from dissolving granulated sugar (sucrose) in water. Regular simple is made by combining 1:1 sugar:water by mass, rich simple is 2:1 sugar:water by mass although only 1.5 times as sweet as regular. We always use 1:1 syrup unless otherwise noted in the recipe itself.