A taste of the moors: Liqueur launched to mark Charlotte Bronte bicentenary

A Yorkshire businessman has created a special edition liqueur to mark the 200th anniversary of author Charlotte Bronte's birth.

The limited edition Charlotte’s Reserve drink has been handmade by local craftsmen using a secret recipe to evoke the rugged Haworth moors which the writer and her sisters called home.

Drinks exporter Sir James Aykroyd, whose great-grandfather gifted the family parsonage to the Bronte Society in 1928, first discovered ‘Bronte liqueur’ being sold in Paraguay and set about acquiring the rights to the product. He updated the concoction and re-launched it two years ago.

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Charlotte’s Reserve, which comes in a 20cl bottle presented in a box designed to look like a leather-bound book from the 18th century, is a bramble and creamy caramel liqueur sweetened with wildflower honey and jasmine.

“Liqueurs have a bit of an image problem with the modern consumer and are often consigned to the back of the drinks cupboard to be brought out at Christmas. But it’s my mission to raise awareness of these drinks as a versatile ingredient in cocktails. The fruity liqueur mixes perfectly with champagne and with mixers to make a refreshing cocktail and works really well with chocolate,” said Sir James, who lives at Birstwith Hall in North Yorkshire.

“We’re working with the hospitality industry throughout the UK and overseas to demonstrate this to younger consumers through a series of exclusive recipes.”

The Bronte Liqueur Company sells its original product to bars and restaurants, as well as specialist independent retailers.

Charlotte’s Reserve costs £19.99, with a percentage of the proceeds from sales going to the Bronte Society to ensure the upkeep of the family’s legacy.

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