Vanille Royale cream liqueur is the French version of a cream liqueur, which in this case means that it is “kissed” with a touch of French cognac.It’s recommended in a variety of cocktails–our favorite being the L’amour, which calls only for Vanille Royale strained through ice into a martini glass and presented with a chocolate covered strawberry as garnish. In other words: minimalist. Leave it to the French to stack a garnish on a drink served up and call it love. They also suggest use in several desserts, including glazed pears.

For those interested, we’re informed that the “1494” medallion on the neck of the bottle is for the year King Francis I was born with the crest of the Otard family who purchased the cognac vineyard in 1796.