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Liquor Review: GoldSchläger

Published on November 17th, 2007 in Liqueurs by Wade

Goldschlager Today, I’m going to talk about a liqueur that has been or at some point will be added to you drinking credentials, no matter if you want it there or not. Goldschläger is one of those “rite of passage” drinks that is often presented to you at some point in your drinking career. And just like all the drinks that fall under this title, there is a reason you have to try it at least once. No matter how much you love or hate it, you have to try it at least once. Plus, the bottle has real gold flakes inside. It says it on the bottle, so it must be true. We will get into all that later.

Goldschläger is a Swiss cinnamon schnapps, a clear liqueur with very thin, yet visible flakes of gold floating in it. Despite having Swiss origins, Goldschläger is a product of Italy. The actual amount of gold is very small and is more of a visual attraction. The German word Goldschläger actually means “gold leaf maker.” There is currently less than a tenth of a gram (0.1 g) of gold flakes in a 750 ml bottle of Goldschläger, which, as of 28 September 2007, amounts to about 2.39 USD on the international gold market.

First off, let me tell you all the stories about Goldschläger tasting like a certain cinnamon gum are true. It almost tastes too much like cinnamon. I don’t know if the burning feeling in my mouth is from the flavor or the sneaky 87-proof that the bottle boasts. Yes, that’s an eight and a seven; it’s not a mistype. Most liqueurs are usually very weak and seem to lean towards mixing rather than stand alone drinking for that extra alcoholic kick. This is one strong cinnamon beast of a liqueur. It’s the cinnamon-covered Incredible Hulk of the drinking world. Hmm…that sounds like a good name for a drink. I made it up first, and no one use it. It’s mine! Check the forums for the actual drink when I decide what the ingredients will be.

Now I said before that Goldschläger could be a stand alone drink, but that did not mean it would not make a great mixer. The actual drink of choice for testing the mixablity was called an apple pie (equal parts Goldschläger and apple juice). If you haven’t tried this, do yourself a favor and order it next time you’re at the bar. I’m not a big Goldschläger fan, but this shot is delicious. That cinnamon flavor really helps out when mixing drinks. It works with a lot more than you would probably think it would. So if you aren’t a big fan of it alone, try it mixed before you turn your nose up at this one. Plus, the morning after isn’t too hangover-ridden. It comes as easy…well…as easy as Sunday morning.

A++ If you saw the movie Superbad, you noticed a female character named Becca (played wonderfully by the smart, incredibly talented, and lovely Martha MacIsaac). She asked for a made-up bottle of liquor called Goldslick (basically Goldschläger). For once, movies actually imitate life. Women do love the many mixes that can be spawned from Goldschläger. Anything strong and tasty that girls like can’t be a bad thing. And I would like to personally thank that wonderful Martha MacIsaac for drinking it in the public eye. She really is great at everything she does.

For most of you, Goldschläger will be one of the first steps to getting you on one of those 12-step ones. It starts with a simple $20, for a 750 ml bottle, which isn’t too bad. It can help you achieve a lovely buzz with minimal morning damage, as long as you drink it within reason. It mixes great, or you can just choose to drink it chilled in a straight shot if you really like cinnamon. It’s a solid buy. Plus, there’s a high chance your female friends will enjoy it, and it never hurts to have something that the ladies like around the house. Best of all, if you are a writer for a liquor review site, you can perform shameless and pathetic attempts at sucking up to a beautiful actress in the off-chance that she might visit your site, see what you wrote, and fall crazily in love with you. It happens. Doesn’t it?

Sipability – 5.5

Mixability – 8.0

Drunkability – 6.5

Hangover-ability – 7.0

Bang for the Buck – 6.0

Chick-appeal – 7.5

Overall – 7.0