Drink of the Week: Oro y Fierro Kumquat Liqueur

The folks at San Francisco-based Brucato Spirits aim to capture the flavors of their home state in their distillations, such as a trio of amari that reflect the botanicals of California’s diverse landscapes. Now, highlighting a small but mighty citrus fruit that doesn’t often see the spotlight, their newest release is the Oro y Fierro Kumquat Liqueur, with both a regular and a spicy version.

Crafted specifically for cocktails to work in place of any standard orange liqueur, the Oro y Fierro Kumquat Liqueur brings a tasty complexity into play. Starting with Nagami kumquats sourced from local farmers, the fruit is then sliced and dried before being macerated in a base of unaged grape brandy along with dried orange peel. The spicy version sees the addition of chile de árbol and Calabrian chile for an undeniably robust kick of heat.

With a juicy citrus aroma that carries a hint of baking spice, the Oro y Fierro is pleasingly bittersweet, reminiscent of a marmalade. Bottled at 80 proof, it easily stands up in cocktails and brings just enough rounding sweetness to your Margarita or Sidecar. For an extra easy spicy Marg, just grab the chile-infused version. Ultimately, both liqueurs illustrate the difference that a quality modifier will make in a final cocktail. $43, brucatospirits.com