While the ideal after-dinner drink is the one you most enjoy, digestifs were specifically made to aid digestion and excite your taste-buds after a meal. As opposed to aperitifs, which are light on sweetness and strength, digestifs are full-bodied desert drinks. As digestifs vary enormously among different cultures, it is hard to define their character. Some are sweet and smooth, others are strong and creamy. Here are a few to consider when you’ve consumed your next great feed.
Brandy
Perhaps the most well-known after-dinner drink, gently sipping a glass of brandy between bed and supper is a superb tradition. The meditative act of swirling and sipping a snifter can soothe your digestion, and the delicious warmth of this distilled wine can send you to sleep. While there are a wide variety of brandies out there (which you can read about in our recent blog-post), a warming glass brandy is best enjoyed after hot, hearty meals in the middle of the colder months.
Fortified wine
For putting your food in its place, fortified wines (often made stronger by brandy) work wonders. A Spanish tradition, tipples like Port and Sherry will put your stomach at rest with a range of fruity and nutty flavours. Our recent post on Port will put you on the right path of these delicious digestifs, and as in old Spain they are ideally served on warm summer nights.
Tequila
While not a typical digestif, modern diners have been drawn to the Mexican drink as a delicious way to drown dinner. The big flavour of the blue agave, most apparent in an aged anejo, will settle your stomach as you slowly savour this strong, scotch-like liquor. Our recent blog-post on tequila will tell you more about what to look for, but a glass of this often ignored spirit should settle your stomach after too much salsa.
Liqueurs
The classic category of drinks to cap dinner with, liqueurs include everything from confectional cream liqueurs to traditional Italian limoncellos. Liqueurs are a sweeping series of sweet sippers to savour after supper, so here are just some of our favourites for you to savour:
*Chartreuse – Made by monks in the French mountains, this distinctly sweet herbal treat can be served straight, chilled, in cocktails or cups of coffee. To discover the range of this after dinner delight, book a ticket to our exclusive Chartreuse tasting event.
*Limoncello – A staple of Southern Italy, this sour yellow liqueur can be consumed chilled or in a number of classic cocktails (such as the ‘Bacio del Limone‘, Italian for ‘Lemon Kiss’). For your next Summer feast, seek out one of our sweet bottles of Limoncello.
*Coffee liqueur – Perfect to pep you up post-dinner, coffee liqueurs have long been the staple digestif of sophisticated night owls. If you want to be energised after dinner, we recommend an espresso martini made with our homegrown cold drip coffee liqueur Mr Black.
Of course, these recommendations cover only a couple of the incredible amount of digestifs drunk around the world. Share your favourites in the comments below!