Leroux Peach Schnapps

Leroux Peach Schnapps is a peach-flavored liqueur from Massachusetts, bottled under the Esplanda name. The category sets the expectations. Peach schnapps in this American style is clear to pale in color. It is clearly sweet, and it leads with ripe stone-fruit aroma, closer to peach nectar or canned peach syrup than to a fresh-picked peach. The producer hasn't published an ABV or a tasting profile for this bottle, so check the label for strength. Expect a soft, fruit-forward body without much bitterness or herbal complexity, which makes it a flavoring and sweetening ingredient more than a contemplative sipper. Because of that profile, its main job is as a cocktail modifier. It is the defining ingredient in the Fuzzy Navel (peach schnapps with orange juice), and it is the base of the Woo Woo (with vodka and cranberry juice). The Sex on the Beach also depends on it. The usual formula is about 1 part schnapps to 2 or 3 parts juice, so the sweetness stays in balance. A small measure, around half an ounce, can also round out a vodka-lemonade or an iced tea. In a Bellini-style drink, a splash in the glass under prosecco boosts the peach character when the fruit puree is mild. Serve it cold. Chilled schnapps tastes cleaner, and the sugar reads as less syrupy. It can be kept in the freezer if you plan to take it as a shot or a small neat pour. For a longer, lighter drink, pour 1.5 ounces over ice in a highball glass and top with club soda or lemon-lime soda. Add a lemon or lime wedge to cut the sweetness. Shake cocktails that include juice with ice and strain them into a rocks or highball glass. Build spritz-style drinks directly in the glass. At the table, the sweetness suits desserts and brunch dishes. Think grilled peaches, vanilla ice cream, pound cake, or a fruit tart. A measure can also go into a glaze for pork or poultry, or into a peach cobbler filling. Opened bottles keep their flavor best sealed and stored away from heat and direct light.