Liqueurs

Distillation on private premises is strictly against the law, but simple and delicious drinks may be made by infusing fruit in spirits to produce excellent liqueurs. These include fruit-flavoured brandies, gins and whiskies, ratafias, cordials and shrubs. A ratafia was originally named because it had an almond flavour derived from the fruit stones and this is the name of a flavouring essence resembling bitter almonds; a cordial was an invigorating drink, and a shrub was a syrupy concoction (deriving its name from the Persian word for sherbet) often made with rum.