It's a Mandardrink!

Our drinks cupboard demonstrates our love of travel. As Britain is one of the most expensive places in Europe for buying alcohol (with the exception of Ireland and Scandinavian countries) we can rarely resist a rummage in the airport duty free shop. Almost without fail we return with some new and cheap discovery.

Our most recent trip abroad proved to be no exception; there nestling in the aisles of the Madrid airport store was a flashy tinned bottle of Mandarine Napoleon Grande Liqueur Imperiale, on offer for a bargain £10 or so ($18). Unlike some of our other purchases, this fellow is destined for a short shelf life.


Background

A close read of the label advises that the liqueur was produced in Belgium, manufactured by a company named ETS Fourcroy SA. A web search reveals that the inspiration for today’s liqueur was developed by French scientist Antoine-Francois de Fourcroy in the early 1800’s. The drink went on to become a favorite of Napoleon.

Fourcroy was an interesting character by all accounts. More skilled at using his connections than actually being a chemist; he is reputed to have used his favour with Napoleon to have a chemist rival Antoine Laurent Lavoisier guillotined. Fourcroy subsequently delivered a moving eulogy at his funeral.

Fourcroy had assisted Lavoisier in creating the modern method of chemical nomenclature which set up the standards we use today to describe chemicals. It appears a less than friendly way to handle a work colleague dispute; a chat over a glass or two of Mandarine Napoleon would have been far more civilized.

As well as inventing an orangey tasting cognac, Fourcroy was fairly close to discovering quinine as being a malaria preventative (although he gave up his research on the cusp of a breakthrough) and also was close to being the first to identify the heavy metals iridium and osmium.


The Liqueur

The liqueur is a mix of alcohol, sugar, macerated mandarin skins in cognac, and 21 herbs and spices including green tea, clover, coriander and cumin. The mandarin skins and brandy are distilled thrice and matured for three years prior to bottling, in order to produce the silky soft taste.

As you might expect with this list of ingredients (which appear suspiciously similar to that of Happy for Men aftershave) Mandarine Napoleon certainly smells good enough to wear. In fact the only thing that might put me off is the rather sticky consistency of the drink caused by the sugar content. The smell is actually very much a mix of alcohol and spicy orange peel.

The drink is often used as a classic mixer, or simply diluted with tonic and ice, or even orange juice and ice. In these cold days I prefer it neat, despite its 38% by volume strength (2% off standard whisky strength). That way you can really taste the complexity and quality of the liqueur. The drink has a pale orange colour; almost akin to diluted orange squash (you can tell I’m no marketer!)

The first taste in the palate is overwhelmingly of orange peel softened slightly by the sugar and the distilling process. Next, the burn of the alcohol hits you with a tang of those slightly warm spices to then recede with a slightly warm feel at the back of the throat. The liquid itself is rather thick and pleasant in consistency.

As you might anticipate, Mandarine Napoleon has something of the taste of the more widespread Grand Marnier, about it.


Warning from one who knows

Beware; Mandarine Napoleon is rather dangerous, its sweet form only really hints at its alcoholic kick. I have to be very careful not to overdo the measures or to drink it too quickly. A couple of tiny glasses leave me with a rosy glow to my complexion and a somewhat goofy expression, but then I’m not a particularly practiced spirit drinker.

As Napoleon Grande Liqueur Imperiale actually has brandy in it, also beware of a bad head after over indulgence. Very little gives me a more impressive hangover than brandy, and the downside of Mandarine Liqueur is that it has much the same effect unless I drink it sparingly.