Natural Spirits Old Fashioned Cream Liqueur Review & Tasting Notes

 

In 2009, Dave Schlapper and his wife traveled to Sicily, Italy, where his great-grandparents lived. Two things he found fascinating were the use of apertivos – meant to stimulate the appetite, and digestivos - which aid digestion after eating the meal. He particularly enjoyed limoncellos and meloncellos and began to educate himself on how they were made and how people drank them.

 

When they returned to the United States, Dave was dismayed about how challenging it was to find decent Italian apertivos and digestivos. He tinkered around with recipes, attempting to match the quality of what he had in Sicily. He hooked up with Yahara Bay Distillers just outside Madison, Wisconsin, and shared some of his liqueurs. Yahara Bay was impressed enough to invite Dave to partner with them. In 2017, his company, Natural Spirits LLC, launched a Cantaloupe Cream Liqueur. His portfolio has grown to include several other cream liqueurs and a honeyed gin.

 

I met Dave at Distill America last month. I tasted some of what he had, and he was kind enough to send me a sample of his Old Fashioned Cream Liqueur in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. It is made from Bourbon, oranges, cherries, and cream. A 750ml 15% ABV (30°) package has a suggested price of $19.99.

 

Currently, Natural Spirits’ spirits are sold all over Wisconsin. It is headquartered in Sun Prairie, a Madison suburb.

 

Most things I review are served neat at room temperature. Cream Liqueurs I sip chilled. When I received the sample, I put it in my refrigerator for a few days.

 

Let’s #DrinkCurious.

 

Appearance: I poured this liqueur into a rocks glass to sip neat. It was the color of heavy whipping cream, not milk white, but white with a tan tinge.

 

Nose: I immediately smelled thick cream, cherries, and oranges. I wasn’t able to smell any of the whiskey component. I pulled a ton of French vanilla when I inhaled through my lips.

 

Palate: Its texture was thinner than it looked. Honestly, I expected it to be thick and rich. It was creamy; it did lack much weight. I tasted vanilla (almost ice cream), cherries, oranges, and cinnamon. Cherries and oranges repeatedly swapped front and back depending on the sip.  

 

Finish: Its duration was medium-to-long. I honed in on the cinnamon and orange. Each subsequent sip revealed more robust notes of these. The cherries came very late and parked on my tongue.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I poured some for Mrs. Whiskeyfellow to hear her thoughts. She was also surprised how the cherries and oranges kept trading places. Regardless, we both found Natural Spirits Old Fashioned Cream Liqueur to be a delicious pour, one that neither of us wanted to stop drinking.

 

One thing to keep in mind is how easy 30° can slap you upside the head with a 2x4 as you’re lost in the moment. It is an incredibly easy sipper.

 

If you serve it chilled, there’s no need for ice. Grab a Bottle; it is worth every penny of its $20.00 investment. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.