Why give a box of chocolates to your foodie friends for Halloween and Thanksgiving, when you can introduce them to a “spirited” treat: Mozart Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Liqueur.

For more than 60 years, the Mozart Distillerie has been making cream liqueur in Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (hence the brand name).

The line of cream liqueurs is made with special heavy cream from the Netherlands, Belgian chocolate, and the finest flavorings one might desire.

The ingredients are all-natural. The line is gluten-free.

And, says the distillery, it’s “handcrafted with love.”

The liqueurs are made in seven flavors: Cream (milk chocolate), Dark Chocolate, and White chocolate, plus Coffee, Coconut, and Strawberry cream liqueurs.

And then, there’s Pumpkin Spice, a creamy, light orange chocolate pumpkin spice liqueur, a well-balanced symphony of milk chocolate, caramel, natural pumpkin juice, cinnamon, clove, and a hint of vanilla.

In addition to love, the products have won major awards at the world’s most prestigious spirits competitions.

> The history of cream liqueur is below.
 
 
PUMPKIN SPICE CHOCOLATE LIQUEUR, A CREAM LIQUEUR WITH BELGIAN CHOCOLATE

Classic pumpkin spice flavor meets creamy, milk chocolate liqueur. What could be more seasonal: a treat for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and in-between.

It’s a lovely indulgence:

 
Here are some cocktail—or rather, choc-tail—recipes:

 
 
GET YOUR MOZART CREAM LIQUEUR

Here’s a store locator.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CREAM LIQUEUR

Cream liqueur is an alcoholic drink (liquor/spirit) that combines a distilled spirit with heavy cream, and is sweetened and flavored with other ingredients.

The ingredients can include coffee, fruits, herbs, nuts, spices, and whatever else a distiller might choose.

The history of cream liqueurs begins in 1974 with the launch of the first cream liqueur, Baileys Irish Cream.

Initially, the concept of dairy cream in a bottle of liqueur sounded strange to people.

Dairy cream and an alcohol base (the “neutral spirit” used to make a liqueur) do not make a natural emulsion—i.e., they will separate rather than stay blended.

The breakthrough of Baileys was to figure out how to create an emulsion that held together over a long shelf life.

After one taste, it seduced the palate of the doubters and engendered many imitator brands, creating the category of cream liqueur.
 
 
Cream Liqueur Vs. Crème Liqueur

These two products may seem the same—English and French spelling—but they are different.

 
The correct spelling is cream liqueur, although a Google search shows that the misspelled cream liquor is a runner-up.

[1] What could be a better seasonal gift: delicious pumpkin spice cream liqueur in a beautiful bottle (all photos © Mozart Distillerie).

[2] Enjoy it on the rocks or straight up.

[3] Make pumpkin spice eggnog. Here’s the recipe.

[4] Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate Punch. Here’s the recipe.

[5] Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Cocktail. Here’s the recipe.