287565 Sat Sep 01 21:23:48 -0700 2001 8 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1547665 I just returned from a week in a rented house in the Poconos, belonging to the family of a friend. We were invited to "help yourselves to whatever's here." Poking around in the kitchen, I found a bottle of a liqueur I'd never seen or heard of before: Lapponia brand Lakka, hjortron (cloudberry) liqueur made in Turku, Finland. It had a delicate fruit flavor, a bit like Cassis, but subtler and more complex. It got me to thinking about liqueurs I've seen in stores but never had an opportunity to taste (particularly, those which don't tell you what their dominant flavor is), and obscure ones that are only sold near where they are made. I wonder if other 'hounds would name and describe favorite liqueurs and obscure finds that one would be unlikely to spot at a local etohs 'r us. I've tasted many of the common ones like Chartreuse, the whiskey-based, anise-flavored, coffee and fruit liqueurs. One of my favorites is Tuaca, from Italy, which has vanilla-caramel notes. Sat Sep 01 21:23:48 -0700 2001 0 zora 1 1547668 When I was in Moscow in 1980 someone poured me a drink of Stare Tallinn, an Estonian liqueur that was quite good--a little spicy, maybe some honey in there... it was fairly drunk out, and it was a long time ago, but I liked it and would love to get hold of it again. Sun Sep 02 00:07:50 -0700 2001 1547665 0 john burke 1 1547683 I don't know how obscure palinka is, but I love it. In Italy, I once had some liqueur made from truffle essence. It was quite good. Sun Sep 02 16:54:32 -0700 2001 1547665 0 Pan 2 1547684 Can you describe Palinka's flavor? Where is it from? How did you happen to taste it? Sun Sep 02 20:28:53 -0700 2001 1547683 0 zora 3 1547694 Palinka is a potent, sweet apricot liqueur. I think it's around 80 proof (brandy IIRC is more like 60 proof?). It's Hungarian, and I drank it in bars in Budapest. Mon Sep 03 08:56:32 -0700 2001 1547684 0 Pan 4 1547768 Palinka is also made in a dry style, much like eau-de-vie. In budapest this is what I found myself being served when I ordered Palinka. I have had the sweet stuff, but it was from Austria. Tue Sep 04 18:39:42 -0700 2001 1547694 0 Mistermike 1 1547688 I've finally given up on finding Nannerl, a pear liqueur from Austria, here in the US. Wouldn't mind making a trip back to Innsbruck for this, though. Sun Sep 02 22:59:18 -0700 2001 1547665 0 HLing 1 1547781 I was recently in Greece and had a fabulous liqueur called Mastiola, which I can't find anywhere...tho someone recently told me they thought it might be called Mastixa. Anyone know anything about this? I love Rosolio, a rose petal-flavored liqueur from Italy. Couldn't find it in LA, so I ended up making some. Turned out great. Have also been looking, with no success, for a Lychee liqueur that I had in Belgium. It think it was a flavored genever made by Bols, but can't find it anywhere. Tue Sep 04 21:31:25 -0700 2001 1547665 0 Judie 1 1547990 Has anyone ever heard of a gooseberry liqueur (a friend of mine is searching for very unusual fruit liqueurs)? Thu Sep 06 23:43:32 -0700 2001 1547665 0 Cloudy