Mud Puddle – The Spirit of Chocolate

Mud Puddle, by New Deal Distillery, has a fairly strong aroma of cocoa with a hint of cherry that sometimes seems to accompany the darkest of chocolates. There’s no sweetness to the nose. Just the flavors of bittersweet cocoa and fruit.

Taste mimics the nose, to a point. The main flavor is strong Dutch cocoa, but darker and more bitter than some might expect. It’s a nice flavor and lingering finish. It begins with a hint of sweet-tart and cherry-like flavors splashing around the tongue, and then moves into the flavors of nut and nutmeg before finishing on a slightly hot note. The heat is likely just the trailing burn of the 84 proof, but it makes me think of something else like cinnamon or some pasilla or ancho chile. But perhaps I’m thinking of those flavors because I naturally associate them with chocolate. I don’t think they are actually in this bottle. They just should be. Hmmm. I wonder what peppers are in the Hot Monkey and if it will pair nicely. Have to try that next.

Unlike chocolate-flavored liquors and infusions out there, cacao is added to this spirit prior to distillation. As a result, it lacks any hint of sweetness, and for that I am quite glad. It makes for a much more versatile spirit that can be used for savory cocktail concoctions, as well as sweetened for dessert creations. Or maybe just an odd aperitif or digestif on its own. Odd yes, but an interesting idea. Have to see if the chocolate flavor will successfully substitute for a dessert on my diet.

$29.95 [750ML] Oregon State Liquor Stores.