Angelica root
Angelica archangelica · arcydzięgiel
In the bag: gray-brown woody chunks, pale inside, musky smell
Brings: musky, earthy depth that ties the herbs together
Used in: Fig liqueur, Raspberry-mint liqueur, Wormwood bitters
Botanicals
Every dried herb, root and spice used across the recipes, what it looks like, and which recipes need it.
Bitter orange peel
Citrus aurantium · gorzka pomarańcza
In the bag: thin gray-green to tan curls of dried rind
Brings: the backbone of the blend, bitter citrus and orange aroma
Used in: Fig liqueur, Raspberry-mint liqueur, Mango-mint liqueur, Wormwood bitters
Cacao nibs
Theobroma cacao · kruszone ziarno kakaowca
In the bag: crunchy dark brown shards of crushed cacao bean, bitter chocolate smell
Brings: dark chocolate depth without sweetness
Used in: Oak-aged honey liqueur, Oak-aged sour cherry liqueur
Centaury
Centaurium erythraea · tysiącznik
In the bag: chopped green stems and leaves with pink flower bits
Brings: a clean, lasting bitterness
Used in: Fig liqueur
Culinary lavender
Lavandula angustifolia · lawenda
In the bag: tiny gray-violet dried flower buds with a strong, clean perfume
Brings: a faint floral lift; a pinch is plenty
Used in: Smoked plum vodka
Elderflowers, dried
Sambucus nigra · kwiat bzu czarnego
In the bag: whole dried flower clusters, creamy yellow, with a honeyed, muscat-like smell
Brings: the whole character of the drink, floral, honeyed and a little like pear
Used in: Elderflower vodka, Wormwood bitters
Galangal
Alpinia galanga · kłącze galangi
In the bag: hard tan discs, rust-red ringed skin, fibrous core
Brings: peppery, piney heat, like a sharper ginger
Used in: Fig liqueur, Raspberry-mint liqueur, Mango-mint liqueur, Wormwood bitters
Gentian root
Gentiana lutea · goryczka żółta
In the bag: yellow-brown to rusty woody chips
Brings: the deepest bitterness in the blend; it builds fast
Used in: Fig liqueur, Wormwood bitters
Oak cubes, medium toast
Quercus (Hungarian oak) · kostki dębowe, średnio opiekane
In the bag: dark brown 1 cm wooden cubes, charred on the edges, smelling of vanilla and toast
Brings: the barrel character, vanilla, toast and a gentle dryness
Used in: Oak-aged honey liqueur, Oak-aged sour cherry liqueur
Peppermint
Mentha × piperita · mięta pieprzowa
In the bag: crumbled dark green leaf flakes with a strong, cool smell
Brings: the cool mint note that lifts the raspberry
Used in: Raspberry-mint liqueur, Mango-mint liqueur, Wormwood bitters
Rose petals, dried
Rosa rugosa or Rosa damascena · płatki róży
In the bag: papery pink to deep red petals with a sweet, strong rose scent
Brings: the whole perfume of the liqueur
Used in: Rose petal liqueur
Sloes, dried
Prunus spinosa · tarnina
In the bag: small, dark, wrinkled berries with a stone inside, dusty blue-black
Brings: the whole character, dark plum, almond and a dry grip
Used in: Sloe vodka
Smoked dried plums
Prunus domestica · śliwka wędzona
In the bag: glossy black, wrinkled dried plums with a strong campfire smell
Brings: the smoky, earthy depth under the fruit
Used in: Smoked plum vodka
Wormwood
Artemisia absinthium · piołun
In the bag: crumbled silvery gray-green leaf, tiny yellow flower balls
Brings: sharp herbal bitterness and a sage-like aroma
Used in: Fig liqueur, Wormwood bitters