Imagine it’s 2001, and you’re all set to have an epic night out. But before you hit “the club,” you’ll have a pregame drink or two. So clearly, you reach for a bottle of a sweet, blue-colored, recently launched liqueur to give your favorite cocktails a vibrant color and unique, exotic, fruity flavor.
That liqueur, of course, was Hpnotiq. If you’re anything like us, you likely haven’t even thought about it in a decade or more. Well, some nostalgic bartenders think about it, and that’s why it’s having a bit of a resurgence.
The Hpnotiq resurgence
For those who somehow don’t remember Hpnotiq, it’s a liqueur made with a blend of “exotic fruit juices, premium vodka, and a touch of cognac.” It’s also well-known for its blue, almost neon-like hue.
While Hpnotiq never really went away, this versatile, highly mixable liqueur has made a return thanks to bartenders, millennials, and Gen Zers and their love for nostalgia from the early aughts.
“With its tropical notes and its appeal around early 2000’s nostalgia, Hpnotiq is a mixologist’s secret weapon,” Lynn House, National Spirits Specialist and Portfolio Mixologist for Heaven Hill Brands, said.
“Spring is around the corner and I’m calling our Hpnotiq Blue Fish -a half ounce of Hpnotiq, an ounce of premium white rum and an ounce of lime, over ice, garnished with a lime wedge- the simple-to-make, drink of the season. It hails back to the early 2000’s, a simpler time before social media exploded and when people were more inclined to connect in real life over a cocktail at a bar or at a friend’s get together.”
Where can I buy it?
If you’re ready for a return to the days of low-rise pants, America Online, and Motorola Razr, you can grab a bottle of Hpnotiq at alcohol retailers throughout the US for around $20-25 for a 750ml bottle.
