Piment D'Espelette (Chili Pepper), Giffard

• Red chile liqueur produced by Giffard in Angers, France • Piment d’Espelette is a red chile pepper grown only in the Basque region of France; it is the only French spice with APO/DPO recognition, limited to ten villages in the southeast of the country • Base spirit distilled from sugar beets • Whole, fresh espelette peppers are macerated for four weeks; the resulting infusion is additionally fortified with aged rhum agricole from Martinique • Sweetened with sugar beet sugar • An herbaceous nose kicks into assertive chili spice on a warming mid-palate complemented by hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and anise; a lingering intensity slowly tapers to subtle notes of hot cocoa punctuated with sharp grassiness • 40% ABV This versatile mixing liqueur can be used incrementally to introduce varying levels of spice and complexity to a variety of cocktails, and is an intuitive replacement for triple sec or curaçao in spicy variations on Margaritas and other sours.