Domaine de Canton
A blend of ginger and cognac, the sweet and spicy, Domaine de Canton is an elegant way to add ginger flavor to your cocktails.
How is it made?
The production of Domaine de Canton begins with its main ingredient, ginger. Baby Vietnamese ginger is imported to France, then prepared by hand and macerated with a secret blend of spices and herbs. This mixture of aromatic ginger is then mixed with a blend of Cognacs, eau de vie, VSOP and XO. The company then infuses flavors from vanilla beans, honey and ginsing to add “vibrancy and dimension.” Domaine de Canton is then packaged in a beautiful bamboo styled bottle. Like St. Germain, Domaine de Canton contains no artificial preservatives.
Notes:
Sugar, honey and Cognac on the nose with a hint of ginger. At first Domaine de Canton tastes like an herbal honey sweetened cognac. Almost like a very light B&B. The front end is so light on the palate, but yet contains such strong flavors. Then like Campari, the finish is completely different, with intense ginger spice taking over and leaving a little burn in your throat. This dichotomy between the front end and the finish gives Domaine de Canton a really pleasing flavor profile.
Proof:
56 proof (28% ABV)
A few Canton Cocktails:
- The Classics:
- Again being a newer creation, Domaine de Canton is not in any classics. That doesn’t mean you can’t add a little to some of your favorite classics. Use it like St. Germain, to add sweetness and a little ginger flavor to Champagne Cocktails, Spritzes, Sours, etc.
- New Originals:
- The Borrowed:
- None yet.
History:
Before there was Domaine de Canton, there was The Original Canton Delicate Ginger Liqueur. The original version was said to contain 6 types of ginger, as well as ginsing, honey and herbs, which were paired with brandy. This product came in at 40 proof (20% ABV). Canton, as it was called, was produced in China and imported in limited quantities to the US by the Charles Jacquin et Cie from 1992-1995. After poor sales, Canton was officially discontinued in 1997.
Ten years later, in 2007, John Cooper, began producing a new ginger liqueur, known as Canton Ginger and Cognac Liqueur, which was produced in France, via a similar but new recipe. This version was released in limited quantities in New York. By 2008, the name changed to its current one: Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur.
Domaine de Canton went on to win Best in Show in 2008 at the San Francisco World Spirits Championship as well as Best in Show at the World Beverage Competition.
Why did Canton take off in 2008 but not in the 1990s?
A lot has to do with changing trends in both cocktails and cuisine in the US. By 2008, the modern cocktail revival had begun to pickup steam with more than just a few obscure places making great classic and modern cocktails. Cooper noticed that many bartenders made some form of ginger syrup for their concoctions. Furthermore, asian cuisine, particularly asian fusion, had become all the rage in the US. What better time to re-introduce Americans to a ginger liqueur?
An even more interesting story, is the one behind the creator of Domaine de Canton. More on that soon. For now go enjoy a cocktail with this excellent ginger liqueur.
Domaine de Canton is an exceptional liqueur, one that pairs well with many styles of cocktails and deserves to be part of your collection.
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7 Responses to “Domaine de Canton”
[…] around with Gin, Aperol and Domaine de Canton, Violet Sunset went more toward the floral side with Violette, Lavender and Orange Flower Water. […]
it looks awesome! it has a french name it’s made with french cognac but it’s impossible to find it in france! The only option is to import it from the US. What is the price of a bottle in the US?
Wow, go figure. It varies a lot here from low 20s up to $40. Really good stuff.
[…] some of you may know, Domaine de Canton has been hosting a series of dinners throughout the US to promote their ginger liqueur. These […]
[…] of the Rye, Dolin Blanc (white sweet vermouth) instead of the typical darker sweet vermouth and Domaine de Canton in place of Cognac. While this turned out pretty tasty, and worked in theory, in practice it tasted […]
[…] base. I just happened to have some cilantro and thought it might add some good flavor to the mix. Domaine de Canton has a spicy ginger finish that fit the theme and flavor of the drink quite well, while Green […]
[…] story short, this one was “make something with Maraschino, Domaine de Canton and Salers.” Having two sweeter ingredients seemed perhaps like overkill, but I decided to […]