DISCLOSURE: It is Cocktails, 365′s policy that it always disclose when we receive samples of liquor to review for the Website. As we tell those who offer samples: we will accept the liquor for review, but that does not guarantee a positive review. Listed below are the opinions of Cocktails, 365 and no one else. And always, thanks and drink up!

That’s right, it filets, it chops, it dices, slices,
Never stops, lasts a lifetime, mows your lawn
And it mows your lawn and it picks up the kids from school
It gets rid of unwanted facial hair, it gets rid of embarrassing age spots,
It delivers a pizza, and it lengthens, and it strengthens
And it finds that slipper that’s been at large
under the chaise lounge for several weeks
And it plays a mean Rhythm Master,
It makes excuses for unwanted lipstick on your collar

– Tom Waits

If you think back a couple of years, the world went bat-shit crazy celebrating a little berry from South America called açaí.

Mr. Tom Waits seems to have predicted the American public’s wish to have a panacea that would cure-all their woes without having to face the disgusting proposition of sweat beading on their beefy brows. For a while, açaí was the answer. It appeared in dietary supplements, juices, foods, and guest starred in at least three separate Law & Order SVU episodes.

And then, just as it seemed that all fruits would be forced to be cross-bred the godlike açaí, it disappeared. People began to realize that açaí alone wasn’t going to help them lose weight. It wasn’t going to cure cancer. Once again, like many of the other cure-alls we’d been fed, it slunk off into the distance, a pariah of what it once was.

Which, truth be told, is a damn shame. It’s because of that saturation and rejection that you may have missed a relative late-comer to the party.

Cedilla, an açaí based liqueur, is starting to turn heads in the cocktail world, and with good reason.

A deep purple hue, coming from the same folks that bring you the wonderful Leblon Cachaça, Cedilla boasts the blueberry-like açaí berry front and center.

After opening the bottle and taking in a deep breath, it has a heady berry scent to it without any unpleasant alcohol stank. When taken straight it provides a pleasant smoothness up front, which then finishes with a nice, berry tartness. It has a powerful flavor, which means you’re going to want to mix judiciously. Over ice, it’s perfectly balanced. Despite our usual dislike of berry flavored liqueurs, the Cedilla has won us over as a stand alone.

Ah yes. But what about in a cocktail?

We decided to play it safe with proportions and go with a cocktail recommended by Cedilla themselves.

The Amazoni 

• 2 oz gin
• 1 oz Cedilla
• 1 oz Campari

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, or serve over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a citrus zest.

The bitterness of the Campari is key to balancing the sweetness of the Cedilla along with the herbal hints of the gin. You’re going to get a better cocktail if you’re using a sweeter gin as opposed to a more traditional – we recommend Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin for this cocktail. It’s citrusy and balanced, and plays well with the berry flavors.

It is a very strong berry flavor, but it’s surprisingly well-balanced.

Our verdict:

If you LIKE berry flavor, this is going to be your new go-to. It’s tart and sweet and finishes clean.

If you DON’T like berry flavor, steer clear. It is, after all, a berry liqueur.