The vodkas, gins, and rums of this world are all known quantities to the majority of the drinking public, but what about all the weird and wonderful spirits and liqueurs that pop up in cocktail menus you've never, well, heard of? Confused over Cachaca? Mystified by Midori? Below are some of the more esoteric bottles in a bartender's arsenal.

ADVOCAAT - A Dutch liqueur made up of spirit and sweetened egg yolks. Varies between 14-20% abv.

AKEVITT, AKVAVIT OR AQUAVIT - Grain or potato based spirit usually flavoured with caraway. Scandinavian in origin with an ABV typically at around 40%. 

AMARETTO - Almond and/or apricot flavoured liqueur from Italy. The name is a diminutive of the Italian Amaro, meaning bitter. 

ARRACK - From Asia. Distilled from sugar cane and cooked rice, and, occasionally, the sap of coconut palms.

BENEDICTINE - French aged distillate of 27 herbs and spices. Originally made by Benedictine monks. 

CACHACA - Distilled from fermented and concentrated sugar cane sap. A style of sugar cane Brandy similar to unmatured or "raw" white rum. Brazil's national spirit.

CAMPARI - The red version of an Italian bitter aperitif wine. Invented by Gaspare Campari in the 19th Century.

CHAMBORD - Black raspberry liqueur from Burgundy in France. Sold in a distinctive globe shaped bottle. Raspberries, blackberries, Madagascan vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey and Cognac all form part of the blend. One of the most glamorous looking bottles in our cocktail making and tasting events.

CHARTREUSE -  A long established French liqueur flavoured with many herbs. Famously made by Carthusian monks (can be yellow or green).

COINTREAU - A French orange flavour liqueur made by the Cointreau family since 1849. Sweet and bitter orange peel macerated in alcohol is double distilled, diluted and sweetened.

CURACAO - From the Caribbean Island of the same name. Sweet orange flavoured liqueur made from an infusion of orange peel in spirit, diluted and sweetened. Styles are: triple sec (clear or white), usually the product of redistillation of the base spirit; dry orange Curacao, less sweet, clear, orange colour; finally red, green and blue Curacao, so coloured mainly for cocktail use.

DRAMBUIE - A Scotch Whisky liqueur made with a secret blend of herbs, spices and heather honey.

DUBONNET - An aromatised wine similar to Rosso Vermouth. Has its origins in the French Foreign legion. Famously quaffed by certain members of the British royal family.

FRAMBOISE - Raspberry eaux-de-vie or clear Brandy.

GALLIANO - Italian liqueur with over 80 herbs, roots and berries, although predominantly aniseed in flavour. First blended by Arturo Vaccari in 1896.

GRAND MARNIER - A French blend of Cognacs and tropical oranges, aged in French oak casks. Created in 1880. 

GRAPPA - Italian distillate of fermented grape skins and stalks, which have previously been used for wine production. A typically fiery, raw spirit.

KAHLUA - Mexican coffee liqueur. Semi sweet and very full bodied.

KIRSCH - Clear, occasionally slightly astringent tasting eaux-de-vie distilled from black cherries and their stones. Popular in cheese fondue making.

LIQUEUR - A spirit which has been both sweetened and flavoured. Originally used as medicines, most liqueurs are now used in cocktails.  

MALIBU - the best known brand of coconut rum.

MARSALA - A fortified wine from Sicily. Made with Grillo, Inzolia and Catarratto grapes. 

MARTINI - A brand of vermouth from Piedmont in Italy. Rosso (red), Bianco (white) and extra dry are the best known.

MIDORI - Japanese melon liqueur. First concocted in 1978.

MOZART - Austrian chocolate based creme liqueur. Available in gold (made with fresh cream), black (no cream), white and chocolate orange. 

NOILLY PRAT - High quality brand of Dry Vermouth from the South of France. 

ORGEAT - Almond flavour syrup. Rose water or orange water can also be added.

PASTIS - Generic name for aniseed flavoured liqueurs such as Ricard, Pernod and Ouzo. The name comes from "Pastiche" as these drinks were an imitation of the old absinthe (thought to be a health hazard as it contains wormwood, the hallucinogenic).

PIMM'S - A slightly bitter fruity Summer drink with a spirit base. No 1 (Gin based) is the flagship bottling. No 6, Vodka based, is harder to obtain. No's 2,3, 4 and 5 are based on Whisky, Brandy, Rum and Rye Whiskey in turn, and are very rare.

PINEAU DES CHARENTES - From Charentes in France. The product of grape juice (not wine) and young Cognac blended and matured in cask. Available in red and white.

PISCO - A clear brandy. The national drink of Peru and Chile. Made from fermented Muscat grape skins.

PUNT E MES - A dark brown bitter Italian aperitif fortified wine. Means "point and a half" in Piedmontese. Named after a sudden raise in the stock market, which then created this brand to commemorate the occasion.

QUETSCH - Clear Brandy made from black plums. Produced in Alsace in North Eastern France.

SAMBUCA - Italian aniseed flavour liqueur made from anise, herbs and roots. Typically colourless, although you can get black, and bright red Sambuca. When poured straight, often served with toasted coffee beans.

SCHNAPPS - Grain or potato based neutral spirit sometimes redistilled with assorted flavourings such as Apple or Peach. "Schnaps" is a low German word that means swallow. 

SOUTHERN COMFORT - Well known American Spirit brand. The recipe is secret, but Bourbon, peaches, oranges and herbs are all believed to be part of the blend.

SPIRITS - Drinks which have been produced by concentrating the alcohol present in a fermented liquid by distillation. 

STREGA - Italian liqueur made with 70 herbs. First blended in 1860.

TIA MARIA - Jamaican coffee flavour liqueur. Originally made using Jamaican blue mountain coffee beans. 

VERMOUTH - A fortified wine infused with herbs and spices. Usually frozen and thawed to encourage the removal of impurities, before fine filtering. Dry Vermouth is occasionally referred to as "French", sweet rosso Vermouth is sometimes known as "Italian". Both countries make both types.