An untold story from the bar world
What is a cordial?
Whoever has ever had a delicious drink has probably tasted a cordial. Cordials are unsung heroes of the bar world and their story deserves to be told.
The word comes from the Latin “cor” which means “heart”. Indeed, cordials can be thought of as ‘sweethearts’ of the beverage world as they are usually dessert-like spirits added to a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Historically, cordials were sweet medicinal tonics that made the medicine go down. No wonder that you can find them in the most delicious cocktails out there.
Their aroma is usually derived from spices, fruits, plant extracts or roots. These ingredients are added to a water and sugar mixture that brings out their character. By binding all these different ingredients together, cordials enhance the flavour of any cocktail.
Why the name Paragon?
The old Italian word “paragone” refers to a touchstone that was used to judge the purity of gold or silver. By rubbing the metal on the stone, the colour of the streak it left indicated its quality. This is what guided us to create cordials that makes a difference between a mediocre and an exceptional drink.
The original root of the word comes from an Ancient Greek word “parakonan” which means “to sharpen”. Due to a delicate balance of acidity and sweetness, Paragon cordials give a sharp and precise taste to your drink creations. As your customers discover these powerful flavours, their senses will be awakened.
What are Paragon cordials?
To create this new generation of cordials, we designed an encyclopaedia of daring unknown flavours that come from rare botanical essences across the globe. We devoted the first chapter of our adventure to pepper to celebrate its incomparable richness and aroma.
To bring this complex aroma to your bar, we had to revolutionize the extraction process. We’ve used an innovative approach that combines three techniques: infusion, distillation, and supercritical CO2 extraction, a technique used only by the perfume industry.
Our quest to retrieve these unparalleled flavours became a true Botanical Odyssey across different regions of the world that makes Paragon cordials truly worthy of their name.
The mission
Paragon’s mission is to discover, protect and promote rare botanical varieties from remote areas across the globe. We are proud to be able to bring you these rare aromatic essences so you can craft extraordinary experiences for your customers.