Chase Elderflower Liqueur Review

Travel Distilled reviews Chase Elderflower Liqueur, made from Chase Vodka.

I was recently sent a sample of Chase Elderflower Liqueur from 31Dover, when I was reviewing their Christmas gift service and suggesting ideas for friends. Too late now for Christmas, though not too late to spend any money you might have been given on yourself.

Elderflower seems to be in at the moment. It’s one of the first flavours people try making with gin or vodka, or in cordials. I don’t blame them, as it’s a lovely aroma and taste, a real English countryside hit. This Chase Elderflower Liqueur is made from natural elderflowers, Chase Vodka and sugar.

Chase Elderflower Liqueur Review

I’m usually wary of anything with sugar added, and one Amazon reviewer of this liqueur thought it was too sweet, but I think you need a little sweetness to make the unusual nature of elderflower more appealing. It has a natural sweetness, very floral, but at the same time it’s simply very elderflower.

I know, I know, saying that an elderflower liqueur smells like elderflower is pretty useless, but it does. It’s like breathing in the natural scent of an elderflower bush when you come across it out on a walk. That’s you on the walk, I mean, not the elderflower.

The feel is nicely-rounded in the mouth, like an elegant dessert wine, and that’s certainly how you could drink it, to go with a sweet pudding. It’s only 20%ABV so it’s not going to send you reeling after a meal. It’s the kind of drink you could also pour over ice cream or creamy Greek yoghourt, and serve with an extra glass on the side. That would make dinner guests happy. And what are the cocktail possibilities too?

Elderflower Liqueur Cocktail Recipe

Chase has several cocktail recipe suggestions for their Elderflower Liqueur, and personally I liked the sound of a Twinkle – mainly because I had the ingredients to hand, more or less. That was:

30ml Chase Vodka
15ml Chase Elderflower Liqueur
15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
Champagne to top

Method:
Build all ingredients in a champagne flute and garnish with lemon peel.

Well, I didn’t have Chase Vodka but did have a range of other good vodkas to choose from. I didn’t have Champagne but did have a half-bottle of Prosecco in the fridge. And I did have lemons and a champagne flute. I decided the Prosecco would probably make 3-4 cocktails, once it was opened, so geared everything else up accordingly. After all, 30ml of vodka isn’t a drink – it’s a light refreshment.

The result was amazing. It was a balanced blend of the floral liqueur, the tart lemon and the earthy sweetness of the Prosecco. I think with a proper Champagne it would be more amazing still. I, er, enjoyed the rest of the evening and still have plenty of Elderflower Liqueur to try in other cocktail recipes. Or just drink neat.