St-Germain is an elderflower liqueur.[1] It is made using the petals of Sambucus nigra from the Savoie region in France, and each bottle is numbered with the year the petals were collected. Petals are collected annually in the spring over a period of three to four weeks, and are often transported by bicycle to collection points to avoid damaging the petals and thus affecting the flavour.[2]
History
St-Germain was created by distiller Robert Cooper, son of the owner of Charles Jacquin et Cie, Norton Cooper, after trying an elderflower-based cocktail at a London bar in 2001.[3][4] The brand was named after the Paris neighbourhood, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and the bottle style is Art Deco.[5] St-Germain was launched in 2007 by Cooper Spirits Co,[6] a company founded in 2006 and headquartered in New York.[7] In 2013, the company was sold to Bacardi, and Robert Cooper agreed to work with Bacardi as a "brand guardian" and spokesperson.[8] In 2016, Robert Cooper died at the age of 39.[4]
St-Germain introduced a two part online video series, 'Salon St-Germain', based on the historic French salon, in 2020.[9] A second iteration, Fleuriste St-Germain, opened in New York City in August 2021, in collaboration with ballet dancer James Whiteside and director Laura Kim.[10]
Press and awards
The spirit won a Grand Gold Medal at the Monde Selection in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012 and the "Chairman's Award" in the Liqueur category at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2010.[11][12]
External links
References
- What Drinks Should You Use St Germain Liqueur In? retrieved 1 June 2017^
- St. Germain Liqueur: What It Is, And What To Do With It HuffPost, 2012-06-13, retrieved 2021-12-25^
- The Story Behind St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur News18, 2017-09-10, retrieved 2021-12-25^
- Robert Simonson. Robert J. Cooper, 39, Creator of Popular Elderflower Liqueur, Dies The New York Times, April 27, 2016, retrieved December 12, 2021^
- Liqueur Saint-Germain (St-Germain): concept, how to drink, cocktails Alcohol and Tradition, 2021-01-26, retrieved 2021-12-25^
- The Cooper Spirits Company - Linked In profile retrieved 2014-12-12^
- The Cooper Spirits Co.^
- St-Germain Elderflower Liquor Acquired By Bacardi, Plans To Go Global www.huffingtonpost.com, Huffington Post, January 8, 2013, retrieved 2014-12-12^
- spiritedzine. St-Germain Launches Holidays Series, Salon St-Germain SpiritedZine, 2020-12-16, retrieved 2021-12-25^
- St-Germain Is Ushering in New York City's Creative Renaissance Worth, 2021-08-09, retrieved 2021-12-25^
- 2010 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results, Retrieved March 11, 2014.^
- Robert Simonson. A Decade of Invention, and Reinvention The New York Times, December 29, 2009, retrieved March 11, 2014^