There’s something alluring about Navan ® vanilla cognac. The liquor has one of those palindrome names, a smoothly symmetric bottle design, the slick Hollywood marketing campaign, a snobby price tag & the appeal of being a somewhat difficult find. So, is the mystique (and the $40-$45 cost) warranted? Read on…
Mav and I enjoy all sorts of drinks but our followers AKA (beloved fellow lushes), may notice we tend towards sweet, after-dinner cocktails. I'm a chocolate fiend (thanks, Dad!) but Mav adores vanilla. And to this end, I have to admit I think Mav has some better options when it comes to specialty liquors/liqueurs. Between long days in the newsroom & hours of studying, the two of us can flat-out drain a bottle of Licor 43® (it's a staple ingredient in lots of our dessert martinis). And we also like Tuaca ® in place of or with vodka in many of our drinks. We are rarely without one or both of these liqueurs. In this spirit, Navan ® was a MUST try. Whereas Licor 43® is a thick, almost syrupy liqueur, Navan does not mess around with all the added sugar. It’s a full 40 proof, so the initial impact is one of a full-bodied but smooth cognac. But the divine finish is what makes this drink worth a place, budget permitting, in your liquor cabinet. After the warm burn of the cognac subsides, something magically delicious starts to happen: a prominent, but never cloying, note of Madagascar vanilla blooms on your tongue spreads into your cheeks and causes your mouth to curl up in a smile. This liquor is fantastic over ice, in a snifter or in simple cocktails that really let its simple luxurious flavors shine. My favorite from the official Navan® website is reproduced below with my slight alterations:
Navan Natural Vanilla Martini
1.5 ounces Premium Vodka
¾ ounce Navan®
1/4 ounce fresh lemon/lime juice*
½ ounce Simple Syrup
Pour over ice. Shake, strain and serve in a chilled martini glass.
*I’ve knocked this ratio down a little from the suggested ½ ounce serving; I like more of a subtle citrus note
So our take home review… can we do without Navan®? Well, yes. Do we want to? Not particularly. So until we become ridiculously wealthy, Mav and I will keep Navan ® for special occasions.
Our Rating: A
Mav and I enjoy all sorts of drinks but our followers AKA (beloved fellow lushes), may notice we tend towards sweet, after-dinner cocktails. I'm a chocolate fiend (thanks, Dad!) but Mav adores vanilla. And to this end, I have to admit I think Mav has some better options when it comes to specialty liquors/liqueurs. Between long days in the newsroom & hours of studying, the two of us can flat-out drain a bottle of Licor 43® (it's a staple ingredient in lots of our dessert martinis). And we also like Tuaca ® in place of or with vodka in many of our drinks. We are rarely without one or both of these liqueurs. In this spirit, Navan ® was a MUST try. Whereas Licor 43® is a thick, almost syrupy liqueur, Navan does not mess around with all the added sugar. It’s a full 40 proof, so the initial impact is one of a full-bodied but smooth cognac. But the divine finish is what makes this drink worth a place, budget permitting, in your liquor cabinet. After the warm burn of the cognac subsides, something magically delicious starts to happen: a prominent, but never cloying, note of Madagascar vanilla blooms on your tongue spreads into your cheeks and causes your mouth to curl up in a smile. This liquor is fantastic over ice, in a snifter or in simple cocktails that really let its simple luxurious flavors shine. My favorite from the official Navan® website is reproduced below with my slight alterations:
Navan Natural Vanilla Martini
1.5 ounces Premium Vodka
¾ ounce Navan®
1/4 ounce fresh lemon/lime juice*
½ ounce Simple Syrup
Pour over ice. Shake, strain and serve in a chilled martini glass.
*I’ve knocked this ratio down a little from the suggested ½ ounce serving; I like more of a subtle citrus note
So our take home review… can we do without Navan®? Well, yes. Do we want to? Not particularly. So until we become ridiculously wealthy, Mav and I will keep Navan ® for special occasions.
Our Rating: A
Bye.
Blonde Mere
