Exploring The Stories Behind Sorel Liqueur

Cocktails Distilled

You may not think that liquids can tell stories, but when you look at Laure like Sorel, which has basically traveled from West Africa through the Caribbean, into Harlem, and then across the river to Red Hook, you can bet that there are some stories to tell.
There are stories of commerce both through the slave and spice trade.
There are stories of tradition as displaced peoples kept the original sorrow liquid alive, and there are stories of migration as many went to New York seeking a better life.
Additionally, there are stories of family as recipes got passed down from one generation to the next.
There are stories of creation as the non-alcoholic Sorrel is transformed into a liqueur.
And there are stories of determination as the brand starts on its mission to re-establish itself and communicate everything that has come before.
To hear some of these stories, we talk to self-proclaimed custodian of the brand. Jackie Summers about flavour, identity, and the origin of the red drink.