Latvia's Award-Winning National Drink Calls For Over 20 Ingredients

The Baltic states have a unique culinary scene that meshes fresh Scandinavian flavors with hearty elements from German and Russian cuisine. At the center of the region is the coastal country of Latvia, and with the sea just a stone's throw away, fish is almost always on its menus. Curious diners may also find staples like smoked fish and freshly baked rye bread, as well as a a glass of the national drink of Latvia: Riga Black Balsam. 

The herbal liqueur's unique bitter flavor is hard to pinpoint, likely due to the whopping 24 ingredients that go into it. The long list of ingredients makes Riga Black Balsam feel like a magical potion, starting with 17 botanicals, including medicinal herbs like gentian, valerian root, wormwood, and oak bark. The bitterness of the herbs is balanced with sweetness from honey, caramel, and fruit juices, and seasoned with unexpected ingredients like Peru Balsam, ginger, and black pepper. 

Latvians reach for a bottle of Riga Black Balsam at all times of day, adding it to their coffee, desserts, and cocktails, as well as to mulled wine at the holidays. It's still considered a cure-all in Northern Europe, but it's more common at the bar. And it's won multiple awards at competitions around the world, including two medals for outstanding quality at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The distillers begin with a single-barrel method to create an essence with all the botanical elements, but the details are left a mystery to preserve the unique recipe. Only a few lucky individuals have access to the guarded recipe, which is why Riga, the country's lively capital, is the only place that produces Latvia's national drink. They might be tight-lipped about the recipe, but many folks have cracked the code, nailing all 24 of the established ingredients. However, no one has conquered the unique distilling process, and apparently, no one other than the master distiller and their apprentice ever will. 

Riga Black Balsam is far older than the country itself,which was founded in 1918. It was originally concocted as an elixir by pharmacist Abraham Kunze in 1752, and according to popular legend, it allegedly cured Catherine the Great of a stomach bug. Herbal bitters were a known remedy during the 1700s, and some accused Kunze of stealing the recipe from other pharmacists, but there are no records to prove it. 

Since 1900, Riga Black Balsam been produced by Amber Latvijas balzams; its dedicated crew even spent 5 years piecing the recipe back together after it was lost during World War II. They'll never stop making the original Riga Black Balsam, but they have introduced a variety of flavors over the years, including Black Currant, Cherry, Tropical, Espresso, Chocolate & mint, and a special XO edition released in 2020.