Amarula
Encyclopedia
Amarula is a cream liqueur
manufactured in South Africa
. It is made with sugar, cream and the fruit of the Africa
n Marula tree (Sclerocarya birrea
) which is also locally called the Elephant tree or the Marriage Tree. It has an alcohol content of 17% by volume. It has had some success at international spirit ratings
competitions, winning a gold medal at the 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Amarula was first marketed by Southern Liqueur Company of South Africa (the current trademark owners) as a liqueur in September 1989, the Amarula spirit having been launched in 1983. It has the taste of slightly fruity caramel
. Amarula has received consistently good reviews, with the caveat that, like many cream liqueurs, it is too sweet for some palates. It has become the second largest seller in the cream liqueur category after Bailey's Irish Cream, with particular success in Brazil
. It is popular and common throughout Africa, especially the south and east coast. Recently, Amarula has attempted to break into the American market.
Elephants enjoy eating the fruit of the marula tree. Because of the marula tree's association with elephants, the distiller has made them its symbol and supports elephant conservation efforts, co-funding the Amarula Elephant Research Programme at the University of Natal
, Durban. For marketing efforts it produces elephant-themed collectible items.
Cream liqueur
A cream liqueur is a liqueur that includes dairy cream among its ingredients. Examples include Baileys Irish Cream and Saint Brendan's, which use Irish whiskey; Heather Cream from Scotland using Scotch whisky; Creme de la Creme Maple Cream from Canada using maple syrup and cream; Cruzan Rum Cream...
manufactured in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It is made with sugar, cream and the fruit of the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n Marula tree (Sclerocarya birrea
Sclerocarya birrea
The Marula is a medium-sized dioecious tree, indigenous to the miombo woodlands of Southern Africa and the Sudano-Sahelian range of West Africa. The tree is a single stemmed tree with a wide spreading crown...
) which is also locally called the Elephant tree or the Marriage Tree. It has an alcohol content of 17% by volume. It has had some success at international spirit ratings
Spirit ratings
With a growing number of microdistilleries and an expanding number of offerings from large corporate entities, a number of institutions have arisen to provide professional evaluations of individual spirits...
competitions, winning a gold medal at the 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Amarula was first marketed by Southern Liqueur Company of South Africa (the current trademark owners) as a liqueur in September 1989, the Amarula spirit having been launched in 1983. It has the taste of slightly fruity caramel
Caramel
Caramel is a beige to dark-brown confection made by heating any of a variety of sugars. It is used as a flavoring in puddings and desserts, as a filling in bonbons, and as a topping for ice cream, custard and coffee....
. Amarula has received consistently good reviews, with the caveat that, like many cream liqueurs, it is too sweet for some palates. It has become the second largest seller in the cream liqueur category after Bailey's Irish Cream, with particular success in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is popular and common throughout Africa, especially the south and east coast. Recently, Amarula has attempted to break into the American market.
Elephants enjoy eating the fruit of the marula tree. Because of the marula tree's association with elephants, the distiller has made them its symbol and supports elephant conservation efforts, co-funding the Amarula Elephant Research Programme at the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
, Durban. For marketing efforts it produces elephant-themed collectible items.