On a mission to make a Thin Mint Cocktail, as in a Girl Scout Cookie. I ended up picked up some Jacquin’s Crème De Cacao as it was the only one I could find in short order. Yes I was lazy and didn’t feel like driving so I walk to a nearby liquor store! Entertainingly Jacquin is produced walking distance of my house, but alias your cannot pick it up there. Actually you can’t visit or do anything. It is secretive like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory.
Jacquin’s Crème De Cacao Liqueur is your run of the mill chocolate liqueur. I even tried it on the rocks and it was perfectly acceptable but not exceptional. It was a synthetic chocolate flavor and not the full rich bitter flavor I look for in a chocolate aperitif. This is not something I would ever drink straight up on the rocks; this was more for a tasting. Nothing screams yuck like watered down fake chocolate! Just like anything else, there are many quality levels, one example is Tempus Fugit made with real cacao and vanilla. Again, I would still not drink it on the rocks, but as an after dinner shot totally! Tempus Fugit will be on my shopping list for sure.
A little historical background. From what I found it was create by French monks in the 1600’s. Just like a lot of the other alcoholic brews monks were making at the time period they experimented for medicinal purposes and poof a chocolate liqueur is born. What we know today as crème de cacao was perhaps one of the liqueurs to come from those early experimentations.
On a serious note as a mixer it should be used in moderation. If used correctly is can be mixed with anything: Vodka, Gin, and, of course, Bourbon. One of those bourbon recipes comes from the 1935 Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book and it is called The Commodore, which is a mix of Bourbon, Crème de Cacao, lemon juice, grenadine & ice. Chocolate Vodka Martini anyone? It also can be paired with Gin, Lillet Blanc, and lemon juice in a Twentieth Century cocktail. So go fourth and conquer crème de cacao in your beverage.
So one more thing….Read about Shane Confectionery Cacao Whiskey. New Liberty’s spirit made with real cacao nibs. It was a limited release but I hope it will return in the future. I am down to one bottle sadly. Just like crème de cacao, drink it straight up… NO ICE!!!!!!
Update 4/10/2021: Tempus Fugit in hand! Round two if this Thin Mint Cocktail to be attempted.
ABV: 17.5%/35 Proof
Country: USA
Website: https://jacquins.com/jacquins/
ABV: 24%/48 Proof
Country: Switzerland
Website: https://www.tempusfugitspirits.com/blank-3
