Domaine de Canton

The folks at Downtown Wine and Spirits in Davis Square, Somerville really helped me out on my last visit there.  I was replicating a cocktail I had had at the Fireplace in Brookline (see my review of the Canton Sidecar) and needed to find ginger liquor.  I did not know that Domaine de Canton existed, and so I was preparing to settle for some no-name ginger brandy.  Instead, I asked the dude in charge if he had any ginger liquor.  He pointed me to the Domaine de Canton.  It all suddenly made sense!  I know, I should have connected the dots, but alas…

Domaine de Canton is French ginger liquor made with VSOP cognac.  The bottle has a really unique shape, making one’s liquor collection look super-classy.  Domaine de Canton has 28% ABV, so it can be used similarly to schnapps or other flavored liquor.  Its color is a pale yellow, and it smells distinctly gingery.  When tasted, the attack is strongly of candied ginger, sweet and spicy, with an immediate tongue-numbing sensation.  This is strongly flavored liquor, and a little should go a long way.  It goes down smoother than expected, given the spicy flavor, and the aftertaste is ever-present.

If I were drinking this by itself, I would probably aim for the timing of a digestif, as is common with a cognac.  However, it lends itself to some fine mixing, and will give you a unique flavor to experiment with.  Though moderately pricy (in the mid $30’s), this liquor should serve you well.  I really think that it is one of the finer liquors out there.