Many countries have a national spirit that's uniquely theirs. Some recipes have been handed down for generations and some are so secretive only a select few know the magic ingredients. These liqueurs are sweetened spirits that usually have brandy, rum, whiskey, or another spirit as their base and are flavored with ingredients such as seeds, fruits, herbs, flowers, nuts, spices, roots, leaves, and barks. They are often intensely and distinctively flavored. 

Following are classics that have made a name for their respective countries

AMARETTO
This almond-flavoured spirit that falls into the "nut liqueur" category is not made from nuts at all but rather apricot pits. These pits have a nutty but slightly bitter flavor, which accounts for the name amaretto, which is Italian for " a little bitter." Its invention dates back to 1525 in the village of Saronno, Italy where legend has it that a young widow who posed as the subject for a painter invented it as a thank you gift for the artist. The original version is known as Amaretto Disaronno; there are also now a number of versions made in the United States. Serve on ice It also works well in cocktails and as an ingredient in a variety of desserts. 

CHARTREUSE
France is he birthplace of many well-known liqueurs, from orange-flavored to mysterious herbal concoctions. but green Chartreuse, which dates from the beginning of the 17th cenury, is the only liqueur in the world with a completely natural yellow and green color. Only a handful of monks are said to know the identity of the 130 plants that go into making this spirits, how to blend them, and how to distill them into this world famous minty and spicy liqueur. Yellow Chartreuse was introduced in 1838, and is milder and sweeter than the famous green. Both are best served cold, perhaps over ice.

IRISH CREAM
In 1971 Gilbey's of Ireland began work to create a stable emulsion of cream and spirits. It took a few years to get the formula right, but in 1974 they introduced their mix of dairy cream and alcohol in a homogenized shelf-stable blend, called Baileys Irish Cream. Made not only with dairy cream and Irish Whiskey, it also includes chocolate and coffee in the mix. There are now also other brands made to resemble this light brown milk chocolate flavored liqueur. Serve cold over ice, mixed in cocktails, blended in coffee, or use as an ingredient in desserts. 

JAGERMEISTER
This herbal spirits, which was introduced in Germany in 1935, initially tastes sweet but then finishes somwhat bitter, with spicy , peppery bittersweet flavors. It's a complex blend of 56 different  herbs and fruits, barks, seeds,  and resins. Jagermeister is German for  "master hunter", which accounts for the elk on the label. This reddish-brown spirit is best served chilled as a shot. Some fans like to follow it with a beer. 

LICOR 43
Spain's most popular liqueur has been made by Diego Zamora since 1924, though it dates back to centuries earlier. It gets its name from the 43 ingredients that make up this bright yellow and very sweet liqueur with vanilla and citrus flavors. Use it as a mixer or  serve it on the rocks. 

OUZO
This licorice-flavored spirits made of pressed grapes, herbs, adn berries is throught of as the national spirit of Greece. it packs a punch at 80 or 90 proof and is usually diluted with a little water when served. The water turns this normally clear spirit whitish and opaque, which is said to occur because the oils in ouzo are soluble in alcohol but not water. It's usually served as an apertif but also served after dinner.