In the simplest of terms, a liqueur is a distilled alcoholic drink that has been flavoured with a range of various natural or unnatural ingredients, such as herbs, fruits, spices, sugars, or nuts.
This category of spirits can often be very confusing to understand, particularly today where there are many examples of mainstream spirits, such as vodka, that are flavoured, however, the general distinctions separating the two categories is their alcohol content and taste.
Whilst common spirit categories, such as vodka, rum, or whisky are almost always at or above 40% alcohol, liqueurs can be anywhere between 15%-55% alcohol.
In addition to their variations in alcohol levels, liqueurs are almost always quite sweet and syrupy in their taste and texture, as opposed to other spirit categories that are usually lower in their viscosity and much less sweet.
With liqueurs possessing such a broad definition, there are hundreds of different types that exist throughout the world, with some being able to trace their origins back to the Middle Ages.
The huge variety available also makes learning about and understanding every bottle of liqueur around the world a mammoth undertaking, especially when considering that some are extremely difficult to find outside of the geographical location where they are produced.
In this guide, we’ll explore the common liqueur categories that exist as well as the biggest brands most widely available but for further elaboration, head to this site.
Though this category of spirit possesses such a broad definition, it can generally be broken down into a number of smaller sub categories, including:
These liqueurs are often some of the sweetest and most widely available bottles found in almost any bar and bottle shop, which are usually incorporated as part of a number of popular cocktails, including the Bramble or Raspberry Russian.
Popular bottles include Chambord, which is made from a combination of raspberries, vanilla, Cognac, honey, and citrus, Crème de Cassis, a liqueur that is made by blending blackcurrants with alcohol and sugar, and finally, Crème de Mure, another berry liqueur made from blackberries and alcohol.
Whilst these represent some of the most prominent examples, there are many smaller brands that are often unique to a particular geographical location so exploring the category can be a lifelong journey.
Often grouped together, coffee and cream liqueurs are basically coffee flavourings or shots combined with dairy cream and some type of alcohol.
A number of very popular cocktails, including the White Russian or Espresso Martini, utilise these types of liqueurs in their recipes although these spirits are often just as easily consumed on their own at room temperature, chilled or poured over ice, or even heated and served in a mug.
By far the most popular brands and bottles in this category of liqueurs include Kahlua, Baileys, Patrón XO Cafe, and Tia Maria, although there are a large number of small brands producing country specific coffee liqueurs in small batches.
One popular and unique cream liqueur from Africa that does not contain coffee, yet regarded as a cream liqueur is Amarula, which combines sugar, cream, and the fruit of the African marula tree to make a sweet drink easily served neat.
Whisky has a long and proud history that exists primarily from its foundations in Scotland and America, where a number of whisky based liqueurs have been created.
Similar to many other types of liqueurs, those that are whisky based are often used in a number of popular cocktails that have ebbed and flowed in terms of their popularity and usage.
Prominent cocktail examples include the Rusty Nail, Top Hat, and Silver Reign, though there are many other ways to enjoy this popular liqueur type.
When looking at some of the most readily available bottles of whisky liqueurs on the market, common examples usually include Drambuie, a blend of scotch whisky, heather honey, herbs, and spices, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, a hot blend of Canadian whisky, cinnamon, and other spices, and Southern Comfort, which uses bourbon whiskey alongside a number of spices and some fruits to craft a sweet and easy drinking alternative to standard American whiskey.
It is, however, easy to find many other examples of whisky based liqueurs made right across America or in Europe, so this category offers up a lot of exciting new tasting experiences.
Perhaps one of the largest liqueur categories, herbal liqueurs are examples of some of the most uniquely flavoured alcoholic drinks on the market, with some using upwards of 50 different ingredients in their production.
Often too intensely flavoured to be consumed on their own, bottles of herbal liqueurs are almost always used within popular cocktails, including the Surfer On Acid, Jäger Bomb, or Bobby Burns.
By far the biggest brands and bottles available include Jägermeister, a German liqueur that is made using 56 different herbs and spices, Bénédictine, which is a French liqueur that is flavored with 27 flowers, berries, herbs, roots, and spices, Chartreuse, another French liqueur that contains alcohol volumes as high as 55% and combines the flavours of 130 various herbs, plants and flowers, and finally, Galliano, which is a sweet Italian liqueur that combines many native Mediterranean herbs and spices together during its production.
With these only representing some of the myriad examples available, there is a herbal liqueur made to fit almost everyone's taste buds.
Considering the degree of diversity that can exist amongst the liqueur category, it is impossible to easily fit every single bottle into one of the previously mentioned categories.
As such, the other liqueurs category helps to define those products that do not match simply with one of the definitions provided above, making each bottle very distinct.
Some of the most interesting examples of other liqueurs not already described above include Advocaat, which is a peculiar Dutch liqueur made from eggs, brandy, and sugar, Amaretto, an Italian liqueur that combines nuts, fruits, and alcohol in a very unique fashion, and finally, Campari, which is an Italian herbal and fruit liqueur known for its bitter taste that is utilised in a range of summer cocktails.
Finding the right bottle of liqueur for you can be an incredibly long journey, as the flavour profiles present in each bottle is incredibly diverse.
Generally speaking, most people will have easy access to all of the brands mentioned above, although it should be noted that this is by no means an exhaustive list.
All over the world, the craft revolution has taken control. In this deep dive guide, we shine some light on what’s happening in the world of craft vodka in Australia.
Most of us know that gin is made from various botanicals but do you know how they affect the taste? We explore how in this guide.
Looking to spruce up your mixing game? We’ve put together a quick guide on which of the common supermarket mixers work best with some of your favourite spirits.
