Latvia
Riga
A traditional Latvian balsam (Riga is the capital) from what could well be the oldest bitter brand in the world, considering it dates back to 1752. A pharmacist named Kunze crafted the famous recipe more than 260 years ago using a blend of 24 all-natural ingredients, including valerian, wormwood, black pepper, and ginger, as well as rarer botanicals like gentian and Peruvian balsamic oil.
To create Riga Black Balsam, these botanicals are infused in a spirit-water mix using what the brand describes as 'unique single-barrel infusion technology'. Once the 'Riga Black Balsam essence' has been attained the liquid is blended with the rest of the ingredients such as honey and caramel.
It is then bottled in a natural clay bottle. For the first six months after bottling the flavour of Black Balsam will to develop as the ingredients interact with the clay.
Riga Black Balsam was has won more 100 awards at international level. You may never have tasted anything like this in your life, so it's surely worth a try?
Bittersweet, complex and richly spiced.
Over the years quality has slipped. Somehow you taste less natural ingredients and more alcohol these days. Despite that it's still well worth a try. I like to drink it during winter. Tastes like medicine and you probably ought to treat it as such. At 45% it's strong so a popular option is to drink mixed with blackcurrant juice.
