DRINK TO THAT: Liqueur - Banishing the ghosts of yesteryear

We’ve all got one. In each of our psyches there lies an awful memory indelibly associated with a drink. This memory has prevented us from ever going near that drink again and even the smell of it is enough to send us fleeing from the room.

It’s tough to face down your youthful demons and tackle the issue head-on. No matter how we rationalise the fact that it’s only a silly little drink, we just can’t bring ourselves to face it. We should, and I make this bold assertion based on experience.

I was at a tasting recently that involved a liqueur I had hoped never to come across again: Southern Comfort. Due to a youthful indiscretion involving a party, a bottle of Southern Comfort and an electric fence, I had been unable to face it for 20-odd years.

Even when I was a bartender I could barely pour the stuff without shaking and would often ask other staff to make any drink containing it.

So it was a case of do or die when I had to taste it for my work — trepidation doesn’t begin to describe my feelings as I cracked the seal.

What struck me first was how utterly wrong I had been. The aroma wasn’t offensive at all. In fact it smelled gorgeous and it struck me that my mind had prevented me from enjoying what is a cracking drink all these years. So be brave and take the bull by the horns (or go for the metaphor of your choice). Life’s too short to deny yourself real quality.

Southern Comfort
Orange and peach notes on the nose, it's rich, textured and mouth-filling, with a warm, honeyed tang on the palate. Hints of butterscotch and maple syrup appear on the finish, but it's never cloying. A forgotten classic.

Archers Peach Schnapps
Another fine drink wrongly besmirched by a faulty memory. Gorgeous pure peach flavours and backed up by a fine acidity to balance the sweetness. A great cocktail ingredient or nice served over ice with tonic.