Riga Black Balsam

If Vana Tallinn is a bit of a girls drinks then there's no doubt that Black Balsam is it's masculine neighbour from Latvia. Made in Riga, this herbal drink of 45% is pretty strong and despite JSC Latvijas Balsams (the company that produces it) claiming it is incredibly smooth.. it's not really! The taste is pretty interesting and you can certainly become a fan of it but it's not particularly smooth and some people can't even stand the smell! Made up of 24 different ingredients including roots, flowers, plants, berries, buds, juices, oils and of course alcohol, it is prepared in oak barrels and then put into beautiful brown ceramic jugs with a black and golden ...  Read the complete review