Peach liqueur

Peach liqueur is a sweetened distilled drink in which peach determines the flavour. What may be called a liqueur is laid down in European Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks. Category 33 of Annex I stipulates that a liqueur contains at least 15% alcohol.

In addition, a minimum sugar content applies, expressed as invert sugar. For most liqueurs that is 100 grams per litre. Lower thresholds apply only to cherry liqueur (70 grams) and to liqueurs flavoured exclusively with gentian, a comparable plant or wormwood (80 grams). Peach liqueur is therefore subject to the general lower limit of 100 grams per litre.

A heavier variant is the crème de pêche. A ‘crème de’ falls under category 34 and must contain at least 250 grams of sugar per litre, also at a minimum of 15% alcohol. The fruit in the name must give the dominant flavour.

No. In English, peach schnapps is a peach liqueur: sweet, clear and lower in alcohol than most spirits. According to Difford's Guide, marketers in the 1980s began using the name schnapps for sweet, light fruit liqueurs, starting with peach.

In the German-speaking world the word means something different. Difford's Guide writes that Schnaps in Germany stands for almost any strong drink, and that schnapps in Austria mainly denotes clear eau-de-vie from fruit, such as pear, rowan or juniper. According to the same source, the sweet peach variants bear no resemblance to the strong, dry schnaps from which they take their name. If the label says peach schnapps, it is therefore a liqueur.

Peachtree and Archers are the two best-known peach schnapps, and both brands now belong to De Kuyper Royal Distillers in Schiedam. According to the producer, Peachtree was developed in the early eighties in the United States by flavour scientist Earl LaRoe of National Distillers. The liqueur came onto the market in the autumn of 1984. Difford's Guide lists 20% alcohol.

According to Difford's Guide, Archers was launched in 1986 by IDV, later Diageo, and then grew quickly on the British market. The liqueur first had 24% alcohol, later 18%. In September 2022 De Kuyper took over the brand from Diageo. De Kuyper itself calls Archers a peach liqueur.

The best-known cocktail with peach liqueur is the Fuzzy Navel: peach schnapps with orange juice. Difford's Guide gives 60 ml peach schnapps to 120 ml freshly squeezed orange juice, shaken with ice and strained into a chilled collins glass filled with ice, with a slice of lemon as garnish.

According to Difford's Guide the drink originated in 1984, in a campaign by National Distillers to introduce Peachtree in the United States. It was inspired by the Screwdriver. ‘Fuzzy’ refers to the peach, ‘navel’ to the orange.

With its Peach, Bols suggests the Bellini, among others, the Woo Woo with vodka and cranberry juice, and peach liqueur with soda water over ice.

In the shop there are bottles with peach from Archers, Bols, Peachtree, Zuidam and Ketel One. Archers Peach Schnapps and Peachtree are the two classic peach schnapps discussed above. Bols Peach is a clear peach liqueur of 17%.

Zuidam Mom’s Homemade Peachcello comes from the family business Zuidam from Baarle-Nassau. According to Zuidam it is based on mother’s summer recipe, with summer peaches, fresh lemons and fresh limes, and it has 24% alcohol.

Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom is not a liqueur: Nolet describes it as a spirit based on Ketel One vodka, with 30% alcohol. If you are unsure which bottle suits your cocktail, call the shop or drop by at Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.