LCBO Food and Drink Autumn 2016

LUXARDO CHERRY LIqUEUR SANGUE MORLACCO LCBO 439448, $26.95 FOUNDED in 1821, Luxardo was one of three major companies making li- queurs in the Venetian enclave of Zadar, on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, until they were forced to flee by Communist partisans at the end of World War II. While their old factory eventually became Maraska, the Luxardo family rebuilt in the Veneto, carrying on the tradition of distilling their famous clear maraschino cherry eau de vie and also this richer, dark crimson cherry brandy which the poet D’Annunzio christened Sangue Morlacco, “Morlacco blood,” in honour of Dalmatia’s Morlacco warriors who fought for Venice against the Turks. If port were made from pungent red maraschino cherries instead of grapes, it would taste like this.

PERSIAN EMPIRE ARAK SAGGI LCBO 401588, $35.70 Arak, the traditional Middle Eastern anise-flavoured spirit, is outlawed in Iran—but not in Peterborough, Ont., where Bruce Khabbazi established his Persian Empire distillery in 2006. Using family recipes from his Iranian heritage, he produces this arak saggi—literally “dog’s arak,” a term that traditionally denotes purer, stronger arak made from raisins, without including anise. Triple distilled, this colourless spirit has the oily weight and grapey aftertaste of grappa, and is there a hint of licorice or anise on the nose? Or is it just the power of suggestion at work when you start sipping something called arak? Serve it chilled in a liqueur glass after any kind of Middle Eastern or Persian feast.