Spirits Master: Giffard Rhubarb Liqueur

As we approach World Cocktail Day on 13 May, SB shines a light on a rhubarb-flavoured liqueur available at some of the world’s leading bars.

In the fifth edition of our Spirits Masters series – articles celebrating some of the top scoring Master medallists from The Global Spirits Masters blind-tasting competitions – we profile Giffard Rhubarb Liqueur.

The Fruit Liqueurs round of The Liqueur Masters 2018 saw a Master medal bestowed upon Giffard’s Rhubarb Liqueur for its likeness to “rhubarb and custard sweets” and “full mouthfeel”.

In addition to receiving a Master medal, the spirit was named Taste Master – meaning it was deemed ‘best in class’ among the Master recipients on the day.

Produced by French liqueurs and syrups maker Giffard, the expression is made from an infusion of green and red rhubarb chunks and is bottled at 20% abv.

It was created following a boom in rhubarb-flavoured spirits and mixers. The flavour can be found at some of the world’s leading bars, according to Giffard, including The Savoy’s American Bar and Lyaness (formerly Dandelyan) in London, The Clumsies in Athens, and Dead Rabbit in New York.

Recommended served in a Rhubarb Collins, the expression is said to “achieve a perfect balance between tart and sweet”.

As spirits producers continue to experiment and juniper takes on less of a starring role, we predict more rhubarb-flavoured expressions will hit the market in the coming years.

To see the full list of medallists from our Liqueur Masters 2018, click here. The next Liqueurs Masters blind-tasting competition will be held in a central London location in October 2019.

If you’re interested in entering your brand into The Global Spirits Masters, contact Rhiannon Morris – rhiannon.morris@thespiritsbusiness.com – for more details.