🥃 Bénédictine B&B
A Bénédictine line: about 60% liqueur and 40% French brandy, drier than D.O.M., 40% ABV.
Bénédictine B&B is a line in which Bénédictine liqueur is blended with French brandy; the name stands for “Bénédictine and Brandy”. According to the brand's website, the proportion is roughly 60% to 40%, and the strength is 40% ABV. The taste is drier and woodier than D.O.M., and the colour is more golden.
Production. The brand explains that the blend appeared in the 1930s, and in 1937 Palais Bénédictine revived the formula. Difford's Guide notes that the cocktail was created by a bartender at New York's 21 Club in 1937, and the ready blend was released in 1938. The blend is aged in small oak casks so that the liqueur and brandy come together. Difford's Guide also mentions VSOP Otard cognac in the finished blend, so the exact brandy composition varies by batch.
Why this matters to you. B&B is not the same as D.O.M.: it is less sweet and has more oak and brandy character. Check the name on the label, especially when buying for cocktails, because recipes written for Bénédictine assume the sweeter liqueur. The strength is the same, 40% ABV. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1930s; formula revived 1937 (per the brand), finished blend 1938 (per Difford's Guide) |
|---|---|
| EU category | 33 — liqueur |
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, category 33 (liqueur) |
| Raw material | about 60% Bénédictine and 40% French brandy (per the brand) |
| Cask type | small French oak casks (per the brand) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Bénédictine B&B → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Bénédictine, 🍸 Liqueurs
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Bénédictine 1888, 🥃 Bénédictine 1888, 🥃 Bénédictine D.O.M., 🥃 Bénédictine Single Cask, 🥃 Bénédictine D.O.M., 🥃 Bénédictine Single Cask
- In other topics
- 🥃 Brandy
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that B&B is just a diluted Bénédictine?
No. It is a blend of liqueur and French brandy, roughly 60% to 40% according to the brand's website, which makes it drier.
What is the strength of Bénédictine B&B?
40% ABV according to the brand's website and Difford's Guide; check the label.
When was B&B introduced?
The brand dates it to the 1930s; Difford's Guide gives 1937 for the cocktail and 1938 for the finished blend.
What to read next
- 🥃 Bénédictine D.O.M. — The core Bénédictine line: a herbal liqueur made with 27 herbs and spices, 40% ABV.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Bénédictine Single Cask · 🥃 Bénédictine 1888 · 🥃 Bénédictine D.O.M. · 🥃 Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira · 🥃 Luxardo Sangue Morlacco · 🥃 Luxardo Maraschino Originale
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Bénédictine DOM: B&B (about 60 % Bénédictine and 40 % French brandy, small French oak casks, 40 % alc./vol.)
- Difford's Guide: Benedictine B&B Liqueur (40 %; Bénédictine D.O.M. and brandy; created 1937, pre-mix 1938; no age statement)
- Difford's Guide: Distillerie Bénédictine (Fécamp; 27 botanicals; four preparations; Limousin oak, about two years; honey; range)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Art. 2 and Annex I (liqueur; brandy)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)