Goldschläger is a Swiss

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, biscuits, b ...

schnapps Schnapps ( or ) or schnaps is a type of alcoholic beverage that may take several forms, including distilled fruit brandies, herbal liqueurs, infusions, and "flavored liqueurs" made by adding fruit syrups, spices, or artificial flavorings to ...

(43.5%

alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...

by volume or 87

proof Proof most often refers to: * Proof (truth), argument or sufficient evidence for the truth of a proposition * Alcohol proof, a measure of an alcoholic drink's strength Proof may also refer to: Mathematics and formal logic * Formal proof, a co ...

; originally it was 53.5% alcohol or 107 proof), a

liqueur A liqueur ( , ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of Liquor, spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-age ...

with very thin, yet visible flakes of 24-karat

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

floating in it. The actual amount of gold has been measured at approximately in a one-litre bottle. , this amounts to €0.66/US$0.75 on the international gold market. Goldschläger has its origins in goldwasser, a gold-infused liqueur first created in Poland in 1606. The German word (" gold beater") refers to the profession of gold leaf makers who beat bars of gold into extremely thin sheets. The Goldschläger brand was introduced in Switzerland in the 1990s and quickly peaked in popularity as a shots drink throughout the '90s, before being overtaken in popularity by

Jägermeister ( , ) is a German digestif made with 56 herbs and spices. Developed in 1934 by Wilhelm and Curt Mast, it has an alcohol by volume of 35% ( 61 degrees proof, or US 70 proof). The recipe has not changed since its creation, and the drink contin ...

and eventually cocktails. In the 1990s, the brand was acquired by British company

Diageo Diageo plc ( ) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational alcoholic beverage company, with its headquarters in London, England. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits and operates from 132 sites around the world ...

, which moved production to Italy, but eventually returned to Switzerland. In November 2018, Diageo sold Goldschläger as part of a 19-brand portfolio of spirits brands to the

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

–based U.S. distiller

Sazerac Company Sazerac Company, Inc. is a privately held American alcoholic beverage company headquartered in Metairie in the metropolitan area of New Orleans, Louisiana, but with its principal office in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is owned by William ...

in a $550 million deal. Production was moved to

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. In 2023, Sazerac re-released the original high proof version, named Goldschläger 107. While the Sazerac Company does not publish an ingredients list, elsewhere it is reported to be made of a neutral grain spirit, cinnamon, herbs, and spices. It is recommended to be served neat, chilled, over ice (chilling may reduce the burning quality and enhance its refreshing nature), or in cocktails.

References

Gold Herbal liqueurs Swiss drinks {{distilled-drink-stub

See also

References