Snap - like drinking a spicy gingersnap

Snap isn't the first liqueur to use cookies as its inspiration - Lazzaroni Amaretto is a delicious amaretto infused with macaroons - but it is probably one of the first that features many of the ingredients of a cookie, as if you were baking up a batch of alcohol instead of cookies. In this case, Snap is baking up gingersnaps, and its ingredients list reads like a cookbook recipe: blackstrap molasses, cloves, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, rooibos tea and vanilla.

Snap was inspired by the German lebkuchen, so its more spicy than sweet. It has an aroma of cloves and vanilla, is fairly dry, and finishes with a bite, just like a good gingersnap. I think it's probably better as a cocktail ingredient than a sipper on its own. It was developed by the multimedia design firm Art in the Age, released last year in Pennsylvania and has now expanded its reach to Washington. You can view a well-done video on the Snap site about how and why Snap was created.

Imbibe magazine recently wrote an article about Snap which included a few cocktail recipes (not listed online). Here's one that looks quite promising.

Three-Hour Tour

1 oz gin

1/2 oz Calvados

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz Snap

1 dash simple syrup.

Shake with ice and serve

Snap also comes with a small booklet with recipes. I really liked the taste and simplicity of the Snap Happy cocktail

1 1/2 oz Snap

1 1/2 oz bourbon

Shake with ice and serve.

Snap is found mostly in Seattle, though with the new Washington State law that disbands the state liquor stores, it may be harder to find in the coming months until retail outlets and/or grocery stores decide if they'll carry it.

Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur

This cognac-based liqueur has won an impressive number of awards and high ratings, including the double gold medal (best of show) at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It has a strong ginger flavor, with the bite of a not too sweet gingersnap. It's a tasty sipper all by itself, and it has the extra benefit of being a good digestif since ginger is well known for its ability to aid digestion. I've tried it at various times after a heavy meal, and it certainly does seem to help. The bamboo-shaped bottle is quite distinctive as well.

Here's an excellent cocktail recipe adapted from the 2010 Food & Wine Cocktails book. Since the Canton Ginger liqueur is fairly strong, it's here used as an accent rather than a main ingredient.

Thamyris

2 oz gin

1/2 oz Cynar

1/4 oz Domaine de Canton French Ginger liqueur

1/4 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur

Shake it all together with ice and garnish with a orange twist if desired.

The Domaine de Canton is currently available at select liquor stores across the state, though only on a temporary one-time basis.