Aristocratic entrepreneurs are continuing to make an impact internationally as they toast the latest success for their liqueur, handcrafted in south Warwickshire.
St Maur elderflower liqueur has been awarded Best in Category, International Liqueurs at The American Distilling Institute International Spirits Competition, held in the US.
The award becomes the latest in a series of prestigious industry accolades for the drink, produced by William and Kelsey Seymour, Earl and Countess of Yarmouth, including The Las Vegas Global Spirits Gold Award; Best English Floral in the World Liqueur Awards; Great Taste Award 2 Star rating.
They are also celebrating their success in another international competition after recently being awarded a Gold Medal in The Swiss Spirits Review.
Founded in 2003, The American Distilling Institute (ADI) is the oldest and largest trade association dedicated to craft distilling in the world. It has become a beacon for the craft distilling community – providing their global network of small-batch, independently-owned distillers with a go-to source of information on their craft.
William said: “It’s great to see our little drop from over here has done rather well over there! We love introducing our little drop of England’s heart to new consumers to share and enjoy wherever they are in the world. These latest international awards are just one way of doing that, and flying the flag for our beautiful corner of England.”
The judges were made up of a panel of highly respected and experienced experts in the spirits industry including journalists, distillers, mixologists, consultants, educators, bartenders, importers and brand ambassadors.
Tasting notes from the judges read: “St Maur has elegant fragrance, intense notes of elderflower, good balance of sweetness and good length on the palate, nice complexity.”
St Maur is a hand-crafted premium elderflower liqueur from the Heart of England which originated in a drink produced for guests on the couple’s wedding day, at William’s family home Ragley Hall.
From the recipe for the liqueur, to the designs on the label, and the name itself, St Maur brings together 1,000 years of heritage and family.
Provenance is core to the brand’s success. The map co-ordinates on the logo lead to Ladies Wood and an elder grove in the ancient Ragley Woodlands, now cared for by Earl of Yarmouth Estates. Here and in the hedgerows at their family farm in Alcester, in early summer, you’ll find the elderflower being harvested by friends and family members.
There’s also a red-legged partridge on the bottle, a bird successfully introduced to England in the 19th century by an ancestor Francis Seymour, the 5th Marquess, and now the brand’s mascot.
St Maur is a contemporary liqueur made to be versatile, built around the same four components needed to make a cocktail – a base spirit, a sweet and sour element, flavour and look. It can be enjoyed with all kinds of cocktails, and long drinks, in a simple fizz with soda, tonic or ginger ale, ‘royale’ with champagne, on the rocks, or on its own.
William has also learned the art of mixology and launched cocktail masterclasses using St Maur, including the brand’s own take on the appropriately named English Martini, made with gin and fresh rosemary.
