Liqueurs/Cordials
Learn Your Liqueurs
Concise descriptions of the most popular liqueurs used in creating cocktails and mixed drinks.
Absinthe FAQs and Cocktails
Absinthe is an anise-flavored liqueur with a notorious reputation for being too potent and, frankly, dangerous. The once outlawed green spirit has seen a comeback in recent years and is now respected enough to be mainstream and used in some fascinating cocktails.
Advocaat Liqueur
Advocaat is a liqueur from Holland made of egg yolks, brandy, sugar and vanilla.
Which Liqueurs are Essential in Your Bar?
Readers share their favorite and essential liqueurs that are always in stock in their bars.
What is Schnapps?
Schnapps is a type of distilled spirit that is typically higher proof and less sweet than liqueurs and available in a variety of flavors.
Amer Picon
Amer Picon is a bitter aperitif brand produced in France with a distinct flavor marked by orange. It was used in many classic cocktails, though is now rare to find, especially outside of Europe.
Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur
Bärenjäger is a honey liqueur made in Germany that is based on a mead-like spirit dating back to the 15th century.
Amaro Averna Liqueur
Amaro Averna Liqueur is a popular Italian digestif made of herbs, roots and spices with caramel.
Campari Bitter Aperitif
Campari is a popular bitter aperitif produced in Italy. This brand is one of the iconic ingredients for before dinner cocktails and its unique taste makes it ideal for pairing with gin, whiskey, and a variety of fruits.
Chambord Liqueur
This black raspberry-flavored liqueur has a Cognac base and is produced in France. Chambord is a very popular cocktail mixer, considered an essential for the bar, and is used in many cocktail recipes, including those in this collection.
Amaretto Liqueur
Amaretto is a popular almond flavored liqueur that is commonly found in cocktail recipes and should be considered essential for any bar. Read more and find drink recipes.
Benedictine Liqueur
Made of herbs, roots and sugar with a Cognac base.
Chartreuse Liqueur
Chartreuse is an herbal liqueur made by the Carthusian monks since 1605. There are two varieties of Chartreuse: green and yellow.
Cinnamon Schnapps
A cinnamon flavored distilled spirit that either takes on the profile of red hot candies or a more traditional cinnamon spice. Included in this article are the various cocktail and shooter recipes that use cinnamon schnapps.
Creme de Menthe Liqueur
Creme de menthe is a mint flavored liqueur that is commonly used in cocktails and comes in white and green.
Domaine de Canton Liqueur
Domaine de Canton is a ginger liqueur with an eau de vie and Cognac base that is flavored with fresh Vietnamese ginger.
Drambuie Liqueur
Drambuie is a popular Scotch whisky based liqueur made with honey, herbs, and spices and an essential ingredient for cocktails such as the Rusty Nail.
Ecstasy Liqueur
Released in late 2006, Ecstasy is a unique, high-proof liqueur with the flavor of pomegranate and citrus along with natural stimulants such as taurine and guarana.
Frangelico Liqueur
Frangelico is a popular brand of hazelnut flavored liqueur that is used in many favorite cocktails and comes in a distinct, monk-like bottle that cannot be missed.
Grand Marnier Natural Cherry Liqueur
Grand Marnier Natural Cherry is a limited edition bottling that will release for the 2012 holiday season. It is a marriage of the popular orange of the original Grand Marnier with European Griottes cherries.
Ginger Liqueur
Ginger liqueurs are quite popular and used in a variety of cocktails. Read more about ginger liqueur, find cocktails, and brands.
Gran Gala Orange Liqueur
A delightful brandy-based orange liqueur from Trieste, Italy that is comparable to Grand Marnier. It is blended with sun-ripened Mediterranean oranges and the combination of that citrus with the Italian VSOP creates a lovely, rich liqueur.
Hiram Walker Gingerbread Liqueur
Hiram Walker produces a seasonal flavor of liqueur with the flavor of gingerbread that makes it easy to get one of the favorite flavors of the holiday season in cocktails.
Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur
Hiram Walker has released a seasonal flavor called Pumpkin Spice. While this is only available during the holiday season it does fill a niche for a favorite cocktail, the Pumpkin Martini.
Maraschino Liqueur
Maraschino liqueur is a Marasca cherry flavored cordial that is used in many popular cocktails and is a good distilled spirit to stock in any bar.
Lemoncello Liqueur
Lemoncello is a thick, sweet dessert cordial with an intense lemon-flavor.
Irish Cream Liqueur
Irish cream is a popular liqueur made of Irish whiskey, sugar, and cream, along with a few flavorings. Read more about this liqueur, find cocktail and shooter recipes, and learn how to make your own Irish cream at home.
Navan Natural Vanilla Liqueur
Navan is a liqueur with a Cognac base flavored with natural black vanilla from Madagascar.
Midori Liqueur
Midori is a melon-flavored liqueur that has a beautiful green color and is the key ingredient in many popular cocktails that take on the same hue.
PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur is the first true pomegranate-flavored liqueur available. This premium liqueur is a great way to add the sweet, tart flavor of the pomegranate fruit to a variety of cocktails.
Pimento Dram or Allspice Dram
Pimento dram is an allspice flavored liqueur that makes an appearance in cocktails on occasion and is good to have in a bar stock.
Starbucks Liqueurs - Coffee and Cream
Starbucks, the biggest chain of coffee shops in the world, stepped into the distilled market with two liqueurs for a brief time. While these liqueurs are now off the market, they were great at the time and this review includes some fun cocktail recipes that substitutes can easily be found for.
Orange Liqueurs and Cocktail Recipes
Orange liqueurs are used often in the bar to create numerous cocktails including the Margarita and Cosmopolitan. There are a few styles and many brands of orange liqueurs to choose from and it can be confusing. Find out about the differences in orange liqueurs, advice for selecting the best choice, and browse the hundreds of cocktail recipes...
VeeV Acai Spirit
VeeV is a liquor made from Brazilian acai berries that has an exotic flavor profile perfect for new and creative cocktails.
Peppermint Schnapps
Peppermint schnapps is a well-known mint-flavored liqueur that is commonly used in winter cocktails and a variety of shot drinks.
Vermouth
A fortified wine aromatized with herbs and spices that comes in a few varieties, most commonly dry and sweet. Although it is not a distilled liqueur, it is a common mixer that is essential for making Manhattans and Martinis.
TY KU Liqueur
TY KU Liqueur is a sake and Asian vodka based liqueur with over 20 all natural fruits and botanicals, all of which add health benefits to the spirit. This new distilled spirit is one to know and can easily become your favorite new liqueur.
RumChata Cream Liqueur
RumChata is a cream liqueur made with Caribbean rum and Wisconsin dairy cream that is flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, and other flavors. In its short life, this has become a very popular liqueur.
St Germain Liqueur
St. Germain is an all-natural elderflower liqueur produced in France released in 2007. It has since become a very popular liqueur and is used to create some fascinating cocktails.
X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
A luscious pink liqueur from France that infuses mango, Provence blood oranges and passion fruit in premium vodka.
Strega Liqueur
Strega is a yellow Italian liqueur that has been made since 1860 of a variety of herbs and spices, including mint and saffron.
Tuaca and Cinnaster Liqueurs
Tuaca is a popular vanilla liqueur with notes of citrus and Cinnaster is a new cinnamon-flavored liqueur from the same brand. Read more about these liqueurs and find cocktail and shooter recipes.