N.A. Blackcurrant Aperitif
C. Cassis is an aperitif made with local blackcurrants and vibrant botanicals. Inspired by ratafia de cassis made by European farmers for centuries to bring people together. Enjoy with friends neat, chilled, or mixed.
Made from Hudson valley blackcurrants and featuring the same botanical profile as the cassis, this is a grown-up alternative for drinking when you’re not drinking.
How to use: Add an ounce to a glass with ice and top with seltzer or still water, garnish with a twist and enjoy! Packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, just barely sweetened with honey.
History: First commercially produced in 1841 Burgundy, France, creme de cassis’ popularity quickly spread from Europe to the United States, where distillers began growing their own blackcurrants. However, at the beginning of the 20th century US production came to halt when it was discovered that the blackcurrant plant was a potential carrier for a fungus that attacked white pine; a threat to the logging industry. The plant was subsequently banned and while cassis continued to be imported, it was mostly forgotten in the US. The US ban was overturned federally in 1966, but it wasn’t until 2003 that an entrepreneurial NY botanist made blackcurrants his mission that the ban was overturned in New York state.
Cassisi Cocktail
Ingredients:
1 oz. Cassisi
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. rhubarb tarragon simple syrup (see recipe below)
2 oz. club soda
Rhubarb strip, for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add Cassisi, lemon juice, and syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake until well-chilled. Strain and pour over ice. Top with club soda, garnish with rhubarb strip.
Rhubarb tarragon simple syrup: Add 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a pot. Bring to a boil, and then add 3–4 sprigs of fresh tarragon and 1 chopped rhubarb stalk. Infuse on low heat for 3–4 minutes. Strain syrup into a sealable jar. (Lasts up to four weeks in the fridge.)
475 ml, packaged in a glass bottle
Made in Hudson, New York, United States
ABOUT C. CASSIS: C. Cassis is made by Rachael Petach in the Hudson Valley, just a few miles from where the blackcurrants are grown.
C. Cassis is passionate about sustainable practices and cultivating a lasting bond between the earth and its people. Rachel works with responsible land stewards who grow regeneratively, ensuring that the land, fruit, and our beloved blackcurrants thrive for a better, healthier drink.
*Seven Sisters Certified, Small Batch, Ethically Made, Woman Owned