This is a collection of recipes from books I own, but which I haven't myself tried yet. However, you can have faith that at least the authors themselves have tried them, so they're not deadly or anything.
Here's one from Classic Liqueurs by Long & Kibbey. Advocaat translates loosely to "a drink for lawyers." One has to wonder if the raw eggs are there to poison them.
[The recipe in Long & Kibbey says first to put sugar in the blender (with a steel knife) and blend it, and then add everything else for 30 seconds. I must wonder if something is missing from that sentence, like "and eggs." I have omitted the part that didn't make any sense, and offered the rest below.]
Put ingredients in blender, blend for 30 seconds or until mixed well. Pour into container, cap, and refrigerate. Age for 1 to 2 weeks to mellow. Color will intensify as it ages, reaching a more traditional light shade of yellow.
Variation: Substitute 1/4 to 1/2 cup brandy for same volume of vodka.
Note: Please be careful working with uncooked eggs.
These recipes are probably much closer to Galliano® than Benedictine®.
Mix all together in gallon jar. Cover tightly, shaking the mixture a few times. Stand in a cool, dark place for 2 months. Filter, strain and bottle.
Combine all the herbs, nuts and spices with vodka. Age 2 weeks, shaking daily. Strain and filter. Add food coloring, add sugar syrup to liqueur, age in cool, dark place for 1 month.
Steep angelica and almond in vodka for 5 days. Strain and filter. Add syrup or honey to liqueur. Age 2 months.
Optional flavorings: pinch of nutmeg, mace, cinnamon; 1 clove; 1 1/2 teaspoons hyssop; lemon verbena.
Grind the seeds in a mortar, and steep in vodka for 1 week, shaking frequently. Strain and filter. Add sugar syrup, and it's ready to be bottled or consumed.
Steep herb in vodka for 2 weeks. Filter, add syrup. Liqueur is ready to be consumed or bottled
For effect: when completed, place a whole star intact in clear class bottle before adding liqueur.
Mash the bananas, and add the vanilla and cooled syrup to the vodka. Shake gently, steep for 1 week. Strain and filter. Drink now, or age 2-3 months for best results.
Double the sugar for "Creme de Banana".
Optional flavorings: a pinch of cloves, a piece of cinnamon stick.
Mash banana. Add banana to vodka. Using wooden spoon, submerge banana mash (exposure to air will brown the banana). Steep 2 weeks. Strain, filter, add syrup. Slit open vanilla bean, add to mix. Age 1 month, remove bean. Strain and filter again as necessary. Age another month.
These recipes both call for mint extract. For fresh mint leaves, see the Fresh Mint section.
Boil sugar and water together. Cool. Combine all other ingredients in a container for aging. Then add sugar syrup, stirring to combine. Age for a month. Yield: 1 1/4 quarts.
*mint: mint, peppermint or spearmint are interchangeable for this recipe.
Steep leaves in vodka for 10 days, shaking occasionally. Strain and filter. Squeeze out all the oils you can. Add syrup, mature 2 weeks. If it comes out too weak, just add more flavoring and repeat steeping/filtering/aging. Should oil globules appear on the surface, remove with a blotter or paper towel.
Steep mint leaves in vodka for 10 days, shaking daily. Strain and filter, squeezing leaves to get all the oils you can. Boil sugar and water together, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Cool to room temeperature. Add glycerine and/or food coloring. Add sugar syrup and vodka mixture together, seal quickly. Shake to blend. Mature two weeks. Yield: 1 quart.
Wash leaves in cold water several times. Shake or pat gently dry. Snip each leaf into halves or thirds, discarding stems. Measure cut mint leaves to above measurement.
Combine leaves and vodka, steep for 2 weeks. Shake occasionally. Strain out leaves. Boil sugar and water together, cool. Add to vodka mixture, add optional ingredients. Age 1 to 3 months. Yield: 1 quart.
Variation: add mint extract (up to 1 teaspoon) before aging. Jagendorf (Folk Wines, Cordials & Brandies) recommends adding a peppercorn to the mix to sharpen the taste.
*mint: mint, peppermint or spearmint are interchangeable for this recipe.
Combine all ingredients, shake well, mature 24 hours minimum. A week or two will enhance flavorings. If it comes out too weak, just add more flavoring and let stand another day. Should oil globules appear on the surface, remove with a blotter or paper towel.
Wash and chop the root into small pieces. Steep for a week, strain and filter. Add syrup, bottle.
Here are a handful of recipes for orange liqueurs from Meilach and Meilach.
Place the oranges, lemon, cloves and vodka in a jar (vodka should cover the fruit) and steep 10 days. Strain and filter. Add sugar syrup. Mature 3-4 weeks. Yield: 4 cups.
Combine all into aging container. Steep 2-3 weeks. (Extra peels can be added to the mixture as you eat more oranges, but they must be scraped.) Strain and filter, add syrup, let mature. Yield: 4 cups.
Combine juice, orange peel, alcohol. Steep 4 weeks. Strain and filter. Add sugar syrup. Yield: 4 cups.
[Note: original recipe said "12 ounces (4 1/2 cups) orange juice", but I think they meant 1 1/2 cups.]
Mix all the ingredients (including syrup) in the bottle and steep a few days. Yield: 4 cups.
For any or all of the above orange recipes, a pinch or 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, coriander, whole cloves, or a piece of lemon peel scraped and cut. Also consider using honey instead of sugar syrup.
I heard of an almond shrub in England; it is a wonderful drink.
Put into gallon or half-gallon jar the spirits, lemon peel, orange juice, and sugar. Now take the essence of bitter almonds (you can use any amount you please) and add it to the glass of milk. Mix thoroughly and pour into the jar. Cover, put in a warm place (65-70 degrees fahrenheit), and keep it there until the milk has curdled. This takes from one to three hours. Then filter through filter paper and bottle. Rest it for two weeks before drinking it.
It is a fine drink on a cold day, and you can use it a week after you have made it.