Izarra

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Izarra is a sweet liqueur made in Bayonne in the French Basque Country.

There are two varieties of Izarra: yellow Izarra is of 32 herbs with a predominantly almond taste and is 40 proof; green Izarra with 48 herbs has a peppermint taste and is stronger at 48 proof. Pyrenean herbs and other flavouring ingredients are used in a fifteen-month process to produce the liqueur. Four different liquids are produced: alcohol distilled with herbal flavourings; a liquid resulting from the soaking of prunes and walnut shells in armagnac; syrup of sugar and local acacia honey; and a colouring infusion of saffron for the yellow and several plants for the green variety. The liqueur matures for six months in barrels before it is bottled.

Izarra is drunk on its own, on ice or in cocktails, frequently with gin. It can be found in chocolates and desserts. The drink is ubiquitous in the French Basque Country and is also found in the rest of France and parts of Europe.

Joseph Grattau, a botanist, bought the recipe in the late 19th century for the liqueur dating back to 1835, naming it Izarra (Basque for "the star"). The distillery is in Bayonne, on the river Adour, and is open to visitors.

Izarra is also a small village in the basque region of Álava, Spain.