G.E. Massenez Lequeur de Poir Williams, distilled by Distillery Massenez and bottled at 25% ABV.

Price Range: $35-$55

Established in the 1870s by Jean-Baptiste Massenez, this family run distillery focused on making high quality French eau da vies from Alsace. After WWII Gabriel Eugene Massenez grew the business in France and internationally . In 2010, Grandes Distilleries Peureux bought a majority stake in Massenez.

The G.E Massenze Williams pear liqueur is created by combining williams pear eau da vie (unaged brandy) with sweetened pear juice.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The aroma is incredibly powerful, full of ripe pear aromas from both the skin and the flesh. As it sits in the glass the notes of caramel and grape lollipop are carried up to the nose on waves of ethanol.

Palate: The liqueur is intensely sweet like a pear flavored jolly rancher coating the tongue. The liqueur is very viscous and has a surprising amount of heat for only being 50 proof. Unfortunately the aromas have a very artificial character to them.

Finish: The sweetness continues to linger long after swallowing and the residual flavor has a more realistic pear character with a bit of dryness from the skins.

Conclusion: The G.E. Massenez Williams Pear Liqueur is ideal for a sweet-tooth how wants a light dessert. Pour it over vanilla ice cream and drift off into a decadent wonderland of sweet pears and cream.