Fig Liqueur

Just now, i was eating a fig, and i was thinking, as i always do when i eat figs, how lovely the fragrant part of their flavour is, and how much it's spoiled by the vegetal taste. But then i was struck by a thought: what if you made fig liqueur? Could you extract the light, complex fragrant notes while leaving behind the earthy, green vegetality? And, moreover, has someone already done this, so i can just buy a bottle?

Investigations reveal:

Reports are coming in from several sources of a fig liqueur and champagne cocktail, which, frankly, is just what you'd expect. The name 'fig royale' is mentioned. I tried this, with 1-2 measures (judged by eye) of Vom Fass fig vodka per flute of champagne; the fig was only just noticeable, but quite pleasant.

Note that the fragrant and vegetal sides of the flavour can be separated more directly: by scooping the pulp out of the hull and just eating that. Or making liqueur with it, or whatever.

Anyway, i think it's time to get the durans out again and do some experiments ...

Meanwhile, Mr Scott Taylor has written to tell me that he is making what is essentially a fig port: pulped, sweetened figs are fermented to 10% alcohol, then fortified to 20% with orange vodka. Scott writes:

I've been making home wine for years now and recently met a friend whose fig tree needed some thinning. I had the same thought as you and have set out to attempt a liqueur. I have a plan but mostly I'm winging it by taste. The viscosity is very different than grapes so most likely I will raise the alcohol to make it a bit thinner.
Okay, so I've stopped the fermentation at about 10% alcohol, sugar was just right at about 12 brix. I used an orange flavored vodka and the orange is just behind the fig on the palate (it's quite subtle). I brought the alcohol to about 20% but I still need to macerate the pulp (similar results as in pressing the grape, and that should bring the alcohol down a point or two. Yes the delicacy of the fig is still quite noticable and no hint of the skins at this point. I will "press" it in a couple of weeks to allow the pulp to break down even further.

Sounds extremely interesting!