Xante is a pear and cognac liqueur. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, it is.
The pear nose on this liqueur goes right to the edge of being too sweet and stops just in time. It’s a pleasant aroma, like a pear stripped of its water leaving only the sugar.
I was afraid it would be sickly-sweet tasting. But the initial burst of sweet pear gives way to a richer cognac and vanilla flavor. Then comes a little “oomph” of warmth, followed by a lingering light pear taste.
It’s 76 proof, placing it higher on the alcohol-content scale for a liqueur.
If you are drinking it straight, be sure to chill it and serve with ice. This is one drink that can benefit from a little water from the ice.
In cocktails, I think it would be a good pairing with the spice of ginger or the sourness of lime. One preparation I highly recommend is pouring some over ice, squeezing in some fresh lime and topping it off with some club soda. Yum!
I only had enough to make one cocktail (tiny sample bottle, and all). However, if I got my hands on some more, I would try it with some ginger beer or champagne.
