A glass of German Lakritzlikör liquorice-flavoured liqueur
Salmiakki Koskenkorva, (also Salmiakkikossu for short, or Salmari more colloquially) is a pre-mixed liqueur popular in Finland. Traditionally, the cocktail consisted of Koskenkorva Viina vodka with salmiakki extract dissolved into it. Sometimes, ground-up Tyrkisk Peber is used instead of the extract.
Thin layer of Salmiakki Koskenkorva, showing its characteristic colour
Salmiakki Koskenkorva is a somewhat viscous black liquid, or a dark grayish brown when of a thinner consistency. Upon closer inspection, very fine particles of carbon black are visibly suspended in the liquid.
Before the 1990s, Finland had a very thin and stratified cocktail culture. Some Finnish bars started serving a cocktail made out of ground ammonium chloride-based candy (Salmiakki in Finnish). It became a trendy drink, especially among young people, and for this reason it still has a reputation as a "teenagers' vodka".
Only anecdotal evidence exists regarding the origin and the recipe of the beverage. The concept of mixing vodka and liquorice probably existed long before the 1990s, since both Koskenkorva Viina and Tyrkisk Peber were around before the alleged invention of the cocktail. On the other hand, Salmiakki Koskenkorva was one of the first pre-mixed cocktails sold in Finland. A well-known anecdote says that singer Jari Sillanpää invented the drink when he was working as a bartender in the late 1980s.
The taste of Salmiakki Koskenkorva strongly resembles that of black liquorice and cough medicine. This is because one of the popular brands of salmiakki used for the drink, Apteekin Salmiakki, is also used in cough medicines. It has the additional effect of increasing salivation.
Vodka is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is made by distilling liquid from fermented cereal grains, and potatoes since introduced in Europe in the 1700's. Some modern brands use fruits, honey, or maple sap as the base.
Finnish cuisine is notable for generally combining traditional country fare and haute cuisine with contemporary continental style cooking. Fish and meat play a prominent role in traditional Finnish dishes in some parts of the country, while the dishes elsewhere have traditionally included various vegetables and mushrooms. Evacuees from Karelia contributed to foods in other parts of Finland in the aftermath of the Continuation War.
Liquorice or licorice is the common name of Glycyrrhiza glabra, a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae, from the root of which a sweet, aromatic flavouring can be extracted.
The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages. A popular variation, the vodka martini, uses vodka instead of gin for the cocktail's base spirit.
Fisherman's Friend is a brand of strong menthol lozenges manufactured by the Lofthouse company in Fleetwood, Lancashire, England.
Koskenkorva Viina is a traditional clear spirit drink (38%) in Finland, produced by Anora Group at the Koskenkorva distillery in Ilmajoki and bottled in Rajamäki, Nurmijärvi.
Tyrkisk peber is a salty liquorice candy flavoured with salmiac, produced by the Finnish company Fazer and popular in Northern Europe. Tyrkisk peber was originally invented by Per Fjelsten in 1976 in Jutland, Denmark and was originally made by the Danish company Perelly, before the company was acquired by Fazer.
Pimm's is an English brand of gin-based fruit cup but may also be considered a liqueur or the basis of a sling or punch. It was first produced in 1823 by James Pimm and has been owned by Diageo since 1997. Its most popular product is Pimm's No. 1 Cup, commonly used for the Pimm's cup cocktail.
Salty liquorice, salmiak liquorice or salmiac liquorice, is a variety of liquorice flavoured with the ingredient "salmiak salt", and is a common confection found in the Nordic countries, Benelux, and northern Germany. Salmiak salt gives salty liquorice an astringent, salty taste, akin to that of tannins—a characteristic of red wines, which adds bitterness and astringency to the flavour. Consuming salmiak liquorice can stimulate either a savoury or non-savoury palate and response. Anise oil can also be an additional main ingredient in salty liquorice. Extra-salty liquorice is additionally coated with salmiak salt or salmiak powder, or sometimes table salt.
Kilju is the Finnish word for fermented water. It is made of sugar, yeast, and water. Historically, it was called sugar wine. It often has additives such as citrus fruits, apples, berry juices, or artificial flavorings for legal reasons.
Liquorice or licorice is a confection usually flavoured and coloured black with the extract of the roots of the liquorice plant Glycyrrhiza glabra. A wide variety of liquorice sweets are produced around the world. In North America, black liquorice is distinguished from similar confectionery varieties that are not flavoured and coloured black with liquorice extract but commonly manufactured in the form of similarly shaped chewy ropes or tubes and often called red liquorice. Black liquorice, together with anise extract, is also a common flavour in other forms of confectionery such as jellybeans. In addition to these, various other liquorice-based sweets are sold in the United Kingdom, such as liquorice allsorts. In addition to the sweet variations typically found in the United Kingdom and North America, Dutch, German and Nordic liquorice characteristically contains ammonium chloride instead of sodium chloride, prominently so in salty liquorice, which carries a strong salty rather than sweet flavor.
Riga Black Balsam is a traditional Latvian balsam often considered to be the national drink of Latvia. According to tradition, only the Head Liquor Master and two of his apprentices know the exact recipe. Nowadays, Riga Black Balsam is produced by JSC Latvijas Balzams and has received more than 100 awards at different international fairs throughout its history.
Pantteri, sold in Sweden as Katten, is a brand of Finnish salmiakki candy, made by Fazer.
Apteekin Salmiakki is a lozenge-shaped hard candy brand of salmiakki, or salty liquorice candy, made by the Finnish company Haganol. "Salmiac" is a term for ammonium chloride, one of the principal flavourings in salty liquorice.
A greyhound is a cocktail consisting of grapefruit juice and gin mixed and served over ice. If the rim of the glass has been salted, the drink is instead called a salty dog.
A Bloody Mary is a cocktail containing vodka, tomato juice, and other spices and flavorings including Worcestershire sauce, hot sauces, garlic, herbs, horseradish, celery, olives, pickled vegetables, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, lime juice and celery salt. Some versions of the drink, such as the "surf 'n turf" Bloody Mary, include shrimp and bacon as garnishes. In the United States, it is usually consumed in the morning or early afternoon, and is popular as a hangover cure.
An astro pop cocktail is a layered cocktail, mixed drink or shooter so named because it resembles the Astro Pop lollipop candy brand. Various recipes exist that use liquor and liqueurs to produce the drink. A version of the drink exists that is layered with red, white, and blue colors and served in a shot glass. It is a popular alcoholic beverage in some drinking establishments.
Minttu is a Finnish brand of peppermint-flavoured liqueur produced by Pernod Ricard. A characteristic ingredient of the liqueur is peppermint, to give a fresh taste and aroma.
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