Review: Paramour Lavender Yuzu Aperitif Liqueur

Paramour is a new brand of liqueurs coming out of L.A. The operation, which launched in 2023, has three expressions of its low-abv liqueurs available, including elderflower, orange, and this one, a blend of lavender and yuzu, which are infused into a grain neutral spirit and lightly sweetened.

Let’s give it a spin.

The lightly pink liqueur pours on the lavender notes from the start, easily outpacing the lighter citrus tones present as it drowns the nose in florals. It’s not something I would drink on its own, and despite calling this an aperitif, Paramour doesn’t really suggest it. The bottle calls for use in a variant of a Spritz recipe, with proportions of 3 parts Paramour, 3 parts Champagne, and 1 part soda water. I tried this and can attest that that’s just way too much liqueur. A ratio of 1:3:1 is much more approachable, offering a lighter floral note and enough citrus to make for a lively cocktail experience. Add much more than that, and a familiar soapiness becomes evident — then rather overwhelming. I had a similar experience whichever way I tried to use the product.

Lavender is often a love-it-or-hate-it ingredient, and while small quantities of Paramour might add a floral twist to your Cosmo (or similar), it will take a deft hand to mix with it to avoid letting the floral notes overpower everything.

28 proof.

B- / $19

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