raspberry eau de vie

Raspberry eau de vie is a generic category for unaged brandy distilled from fermented raspberries. Caveat emptor #1: in the United States, an unfortunate confusion of nomenclature persists where certain liqueurs (sweet) and eau de vies (bone dry, unaged, true fruit brandies) share names. For example, in cocktail recipes, “raspberry brandy” usually indicates a sweet, raspberry-flavored liqueur—not a true brandy at all. Meanwhile, true raspberry brandy can also be found on the shelves. Caveat emptor #2: eau de vies can vary wildly in quality and characteristics across manufacturers, even if they are derived from the same fruit. Experimentation is often necessary in locating an ideal eau de vie for a given cocktail.