Chambord is a French black raspberry liqueur from the Loire Valley, made from berry fruits, cognac and spices, bottled at 16.5% ABV. The brand's full name is Chambord Liqueur Royale de France and it harks back to the recipe for a liqueur produced in the Loire Valley at the end of the 17th century.
Modern-day Chambord was created in 1982 – it was developed by Norton "Sky" Cooper at the family firm Charles Jacquin et Cie. In 2006 the brand was acquired by Brown-Forman Corporation, which continues production in the Loire Valley. Chambord is made at La Sistiere Chateau in France's Loire Valley and takes its name from the nearby Château Chambord.
Its composition combines berry fruits with ingredients from various corners of the world. Chambord is made from red and black raspberries, Madagascan vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey and XO cognac. Production is based on a double infusion. Whole raspberries and blackberries are macerated in French spirits for several weeks, creating the first fruit infusion. Once this has been drawn off, a second portion of spirit is added to the fruit and left for a further few weeks. The remaining fruit is then pressed to extract its natural sugars and juice. The infusions and the juices from the final pressing are combined, and the whole is married with a proprietary blend of cognac, natural vanilla extract, black raspberries, citrus peel, honey, and herbs and spices.
The flavour profile is dominated by berry fruit garnished with vanilla and honey. Warm, velvety notes of vanilla and black raspberry – rounder and less tart than in a typical crème de cassis, framboise or mûre, with the influence of the added vanilla and honey clearly apparent. The texture is thick and syrupy, while the cognac base lends a depth rarely found in fruit liqueurs. Chambord pairs well with notes of vanilla and chocolate, and behind the bar it is an ingredient in cocktails such as the French Martini and the Kir Impérial.