Goethe also considered it the elixir of youth and sang it in his Faust. He was revered by many world politicians of the past, including the current lovers - the British royal family. It is rightfully considered one of the business cards of Latvia. All these praises are about him - Riga Balsam, with a strength of 45 degrees and in a recognizable ceramic bottle.
Riga Balsam dates back to the 18th century. Initially, this drink was not unique - at that time, various infusions on medicinal herbs were quite a traditional remedy for many diseases, and in the same Riga many variations of this strong "medicine" were made. Empress Catherine the Great herself intervened in the course of history - the miracle balm of the local pharmacist Abraham Kunze, who healed her of colic during a visit to Riga, received first good publicity, and then state support.
The current Riga Balsam is three times stronger than its predecessor. Despite this, they also have something in common: as then, now the recipe for this elixir is kept in strict secrecy. It is known about modern balm that it contains exactly 24 ingredients, but only a select few know their exact list and proportions.
Little is known about the manufacturing technology of this drink. The balsam is aged in special oak barrels, which adds a pleasant bitter taste to its bouquet. The resulting drink is bottled in original ceramic bottles made of special clay. This is not done by chance: ceramics perfectly preserves the healing properties of the miracle balm. Each bottle is sealed with an oak lid. The strength of the drink is 45%, no more and no less.
Riga balsam is rarely drunk individually. Most often it is used in cocktails or in a duet with tea or coffee. In Latvia, this black, viscous and very aromatic drink is usually served with coffee in small glasses. It can also be safely added to tea: literally one teaspoon per glass, plus sugar to taste and, if desired, a lemon wedge. Such tea drinking will relieve stress and raise your spirits. However, in the homeland of Riga Balsam, as soon as they do not experiment with its use: Latvians add it to beer, mix it with champagne, Coca-Cola, ice cream and even tomato juice! There is also a signature Riga cocktail recipe. It is necessary to mix blackcurrant juice with balsam in a 1: 2 ratio, warm up the mixture a little and enjoy the uniqueness of its taste and aroma.
It is rather difficult to exaggerate the benefits of Riga Balsam - it is really good for the body, which is confirmed by a considerable number of various awards and rave reviews from people. They drink it for colds, loss of strength, for preventive purposes, they lubricate sore spots with rheumatism. While in Riga, do not miss the opportunity to taste this miraculous balm - both for the body and for the soul!
