Jacoulot - Green Verbena Liqueur 35%
Founded in 1891, Maison Jacoulot perpetuates a historic distiller and liquor maker expertise in Burgundy. Alongside its Marc and Fine de Bourgogne, it preserves a precious heritage of traditional recipes dedicated to fruits, plants, and spices. Green Verbena is precisely one of the house's historic liqueurs, crafted according to a recipe passed down for over a century. It belongs to the great French tradition of herbal digestive liqueurs, while maintaining a very personal identity. Verbena is sought after for its intensely aromatic character, its vegetal notes, and especially its naturally lemony expression. With 35% alcohol by volume, this cuvée has more power and structure than the house's fruit liqueurs. Nevertheless, it remains built around the freshness and aromatic purity of the plant.
Jacoulot's Green Verbena is made by maceration followed by distillation of green verbena plants. Maceration allows the gradual extraction of aromatic compounds from the leaves and restores the full vegetal palette of the plant. Distillation then concentrates and refines this expression, bringing more depth to the liqueur. This dual approach is an essential element of the recipe and distinguishes it from a simple alcoholic infusion of verbena. The liquor maker's work then consists of finding the balance between the strength of the plants, the sweetness, and the 35% alcohol. The historic recipe favors a frank and persistent expression, intended notably for tasting at the end of a meal. The immediately recognizable green color thus accompanies an intense, fresh, and decidedly vegetal aromatic profile.
On the nose, verbena asserts itself clearly, accompanied by herbaceous notes and a characteristic lemony freshness. The palate is ample and aromatic, with a soft attack that quickly reveals the full intensity of the plant. The vegetal nuances are complemented by citrus sensations and a persistent freshness that balances the natural richness of the liqueur. The 35% alcohol gives it a true presence without preventing the verbena from remaining at the center of the tasting. The finish is long, fresh, and slightly mentholated, with a particularly clear return of lemony notes. Green Verbena is ideally enjoyed very fresh, in a frosted glass, but can also be served on ice or as a palate cleanser with sorbet. Jacoulot also offers it in a cocktail with fresh mint, lime, cane sugar, crushed ice, and sparkling water, or in cooking to flavor a baba, a soufflé, or a frozen dessert.
