Garden Herbs Rosemary Spirit

Garden Herb Rosemary Spirit by STILVOL. with regional rosemary

Garden Herb Rosemary Spirit by STILVOL. is an herbal schnapps made from regional rosemary, which is macerated in alcohol and then distilled. Clear in the bottle, resinous in aroma, with 40% alcohol. A dry, spicy spirit, perfect neat as a digestif or in a spritz.

Garden Herb Rosemary Spirit is an herbal schnapps from STILVOL. in Baden-Württemberg, for which regional rosemary is steeped and then distilled in a small craft distillery. The brown apothecary bottle holds 500 ml, and the spirit has 40% alcohol. It is called a "Geist" (spirit) because rosemary contains far too little sugar to ferment on its own, so its aroma must first be extracted into the alcohol.

An herb garden in high-proof form

The herbal schnapps smells of needles and resin, warm stone, and a hint of lemon—just like rosemary smells when you brush against it in the summer.

Resinous, spicy, and straightforward as it goes down, it lacks any sweetness because only the aromatic compounds are captured during distillation. What you taste is the herb itself, not a replica from a liqueur factory.

Rosemary belongs to the mint family and carries its essential oils in tiny glands on the underside of its leaves, which is why just rubbing them between your fingers fills the entire room. These exact oils migrate into the alcohol during maceration and are subsequently distilled out with it.

After a meal or topped with a spritz

Rosemary spirit is best enjoyed at room temperature, as only then does its bouquet fully unfold.

Enjoy it as a digestif after a long meal. With tonic and a sprig of rosemary, it makes for a very polished long drink; with ginger lemonade and lime, a Rosemary Mule; and in a spritz, it provides the Mediterranean edge that the aperitif would otherwise lack.

It also has its place in the kitchen: a splash over a rack of lamb, roasted potatoes, or sautéed mushrooms brings back the herbal notes that may have been lost in the pan juices. Stored in a cool, dark place, it remains unchanged for years and has no expiration date.

When a fruit distillery tries its hand at herbs

An herbal spirit is the more difficult path, because a kilo of rosemary yields significantly less than a kilo of pears.

Fruit brings its own sugar and thus its own alcohol; an herb provides only aroma. You need a lot of it, it must macerate long enough, and it must then be distilled with a steady hand so that the delicate oils are not cooked away. This is done in a rural craft distillery, in manageable quantities and by hand; artificial flavors or colors are deliberately avoided.

The fact that a brand rooted in fruit brandy dares to take on herbs says a lot about their ambition. Herbal schnapps was the drink of our fathers for decades; here it returns in a bottle you'll be happy to display.

Similarly woody and clear is the Spruce Spirit made from wood and needles, while the Hazelnut Schnapps made from caramelized nuts is significantly sweeter and rounder. You can find the entire assortment in the STILVOL. manufacturer hub, and other bottles in our selection of spirits. Anyone who has ever tasted a true herbal schnapps next to an herbal liqueur will understand the difference without further explanation.