Need help! Where to buy a Canadian liqueur?

[aggie94]

After some careful thought and research, I settled on the idea of Asian pear mojitos as the "signature drink" for our upcoming Chinese New Year party. Yeah, who knew Asian pear liqueur would be so hard to find??? :mad:

There is apparently ONE brand out there. It's Uphoria Asian Pear Liqueur and made by a Canadian distillery. And apparently not sold in the US? Or at least not anywhere around here. I checked out several places yesterday and struck out. It was suggested to me that it might not be distributed in Arizona, so then I thought I could just buy it online, but I'm striking out there too.

Any thoughts?? Anyone with great Internet research skills that can find me a place to order it online that I seem to be missing? Or anyone who can get me a couple of bottles and mail them to me?? :eek: I am on a mission to find this stuff now. I test drove recipes last night with other brands of pear liqueur that I picked up, and they didn't quite cut it for me.

The bottle apparently looks like this:

http://www.theartofdrink.com/blog/img/Uphoria.jpg

TIA!

[funniegrrl]

I don't have a source for you, but wanted to ask ... are you sure that your state allows you to order liquor from out of state? In many states that's illegal.

I would call the liquor wholesalers in your area -- again, depending on the state, there might be many or a few. They should be able to tell you definitively if they can get it or not, and who might have it or be able to get it for you.

[Beth]

I looked at what Spec's has listed online and they don't have it. Doesn't look like Richard's does either, adn I can't think of any other place that would be likel;y here. Online, Tastings referred back to the distillery.

I wonder if Spec's, Beverages and More (CA -- found Asian Pear Sake there) or a larger store like that might be able to get it for you if you made a special request and they have enought lead time? It's worth asking.

[aggie94]

BevMo was actually one of the places I checked yesterday, and they can't get it. Neither can AJ's, who sells EVERYTHING in the way of high-end liquor. That's what led them to believe that AZ has restricted distribution, but I suspect what's more likely is that it is just not sold in the US.

Incidentally, I did pick up some Asian pear sake for an Asian pear martini recipe, and it was nasty. :eek:

[avariell]

i just called one of the nicer liquor stores in my area, and they said that they do not stock it yet - they are trying to get it in. this makes me think it must be available in the US. i am sure one of us will be able to find it...

[SandyM]

Eva - I'd be happy to make a run for the border for you. :) Let me know!

[Middydd]

Uphoria is distributed by Corbys:

http://www.corby.ca/contactus.php

Their US contact is shown as McCormick Distilling:

1 800 470 2313
http://www.mccormickdistilling.com

Maybe contacting either of them can give you a local source.

[VAcooker]

I looked online at the Virginia ABC store and it is not listed. I also checked the 'special order' online catalog and it was not listed either...I will keep checking...

[SandyM]

Just confirming, Eva - two bottles are being held for me (shoot, I might have to pick one up for myself!), and we'll pick them up on Saturday. Shipping them out on Monday, you should have them by Wednesday or Thursday. :)

Hope to see pictures, since I can't make it! :D

[aggie94]

Hope to see pictures, since I can't make it! :D

Yeah, and what a lousy excuse you have. :rolleyes: ;)

Thanks to all for checking with your local stores, either by phone or in person. I really do appreciate it.

[Beth]

Glad to know not to try the sake. Do report back on the liquor and let us know if it is worth badgering the locals to carry. :D

[aggie94]

Sorry, Beth - I meant to say that the martini recipe was nasty. Not necessarily the sake. I don't drink sake so have no idea what it should taste like or if it's "good." IMO, there's not much in the way of alcohol that tastes good, so I would be a really bad judge. Didn't mean to malign the Asian pear sake - it might actually be something people would like! It smells good, but the martinis we made with it were disgusting.

[Beth]

OK. Thanks for the clarification. I've only had sake once or twice, and I'm not sure I'd buy it -- Asian pear or otherwise, but I might if someone had liked it. We love Asian pears and were recently thrilled to find out the tree we planted in CA is bearing lots of fruit now -- sadly, all for someone else. So it goes....