How to Drink Liqueur

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Liqueur can be drunk on its own, but most often it is used to complement the ingredients in a cocktail. Different from what we normally think of as “liquor” (like gin, vodka, whiskey, or rum), liqueur has been sweetened with fruits and infused with different herbs and spices. Learn about the different liqueurs that are available and how you can pair them with other ingredients to create delectable beverages!

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Choosing a Liqueur

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  1. Amaretto is often drunk on its own, or you can add it to club soda or even orange juice. Generally, you will add 1 jigger of liqueur to 8 ounces (230 g) of a mixer. Depending on the brand you buy, it may be a little sweeter or a little spicier, per that manufacturer’s recipe. [1]
    • Amaretto is also often used in baking to flavor cookies or cakes.
  2. There are a lot of different flavors you could choose from, from the original Baileys to pumpkin spice to chocolate. You can also drink this on its own or use it in baking recipes. Try adding 1 jigger of Baileys to your morning mug of coffee. [2]
    • If you’re interested in trying out different flavors of Baileys, look for a sample pack at your local liquor store to get a few varieties at once.
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  3. Grab some Kahlua if you like coffee-flavored drinks. Kahlua is most famously used for White Russian cocktails, but you can also drink it on the rocks or use it in a lot of other drink recipes. While it’s consumed all-year long, around the holidays, it really picks up in popularity. [3]
    • Kahlua also comes in specialty flavors, like pumpkin spice and french vanilla.
  4. It’s a little bitter and a little sweet, which makes it a great addition to a lot of classic cocktail recipes. It pairs really well with a twist of lime, too. [4]
    • Add Cointreau to drinks that are normally a little bitter, like cranberry or grapefruit juices, to open up their sweeter notes.
    • Orange liqueurs like Cointreau and triple sec go really well with tequila drinks like margaritas, as well as run drinks.
  5. St-Germain is an elderflower liqueur that's frequently paired with gins and champagnes. The light, floral flavors of elderflower complement those lighter alcohols really nicely. [5]
    • You can add a splash of St-Germain to many different cocktails for a refreshing addition. For instance, it's a great base for vodka and gin drinks. [6]
    • St-Germain doesn't pair well with whiskey or scotch, though, so beware of adding it to darker liquors.
  6. Sambuca is a clear liquor that is generally drunk on its own or with a little bit of water added to it, but it also pairs well with bitters, bourbon, and even champagne. Try adding a dash or two of bitters to your Sambuca. Or, mix 1 jigger of Samba along with 4 ounces (110 g) of bourbon or champagne. [7]
    • A traditional after-dinner shot is to take Sambuca and add 3 coffee beans to the glass. The coffee beans represent health, happiness, and prosperity. You can chew the coffee beans or leave them in the glass.
  7. Triple Sec is a popular ingredient in margaritas, but it can be added to a lot of other cocktails, too. Long Island iced tea, Cosmos, and Sidecars all feature Triple Sec. You can also drink it neat if you like sweeter, citrusy flavors. [8]
    • Triple Sec and Cointreau are very similar, but their flavors are slightly different. Triple Sec is traditionally a little sweeter, while Cointreau plays with bitter notes as well.
    • Grand Marnier is another popular orange liqueur you could try. [9]
  8. There are a lot of liqueurs out there to choose from! Schnapps are very popular and come in many different flavors. Campari, Chartreuse, Benedictine, Galliano, Frangelico, and Chambord are other liqueurs you can explore. [10]
    • Try searching for high-end bars in your area to explore some of the more obscure liqueurs. The bartenders or mixologists at these locations will be able to tell you more about the characteristics and uses of various liqueurs.
    • Amaros, including Campari and Aperol, are an Italian liqueur that are often used as a bitter digestive. They go well with summery drinks—you might add Aperol to prosecco, for instance. They also go well with whiskey. [11]
    • Try a fruity liqueur like Creme de Cassis, which has a black currant flavor. [12]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using Liqueur in Mixed Drinks

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  1. Use a cocktail-shaker, strainer, glass, jigger, and ice to make this drink. Fill your cocktail-shaker with ice, and pour 1 jigger of Amaretto, a 1/2 jigger of simple syrup, and a 1/2 jigger of lemon juice over the ice. Shake it all together until it’s all cold, and then strain it out over your glass. Add an orange slice and a maraschino cherry to tie the drink together. [13]
    • If you have extra liquid left in your cocktail-shaker, save it for another drink or pour it out into another container and save it in the fridge. You can drink it another day or even use it to make a tasty dessert by soaking lady fingers or angel food cake in it and pairing it with ice cream.
  2. You will need a martini glass, a strainer, a cocktail shaker, ice, and a jigger to measure the liquid ingredients. Fill your cocktail shaker with ice, then add 1 jigger of Baileys Irish Cream, a 1/2 jigger of vodka, and a 1/2 jigger of espresso. Shake the ingredients until they’re chilled, and strain them into your martini glass.
    • You can always adjust the proportions of a drink to match your personal preferences.
    • If you don’t have espresso, you could also use coffee, but the espresso will give the flavor of the martini a little more depth.
  3. You’ll need a short glass, ice, and a jigger for this recipe. Fill up your glass with ice, and add 1 jigger of Kahlua, a 1/2 jigger of vodka, and 2 jiggers of milk, and mix everything together with a spoon. Add a cherry to the top to garnish the drink.
    • Use whatever kind of milk you prefer for this recipe. Almond, coconut, soy, or even chocolate milks would all be delicious options.
  4. Gather up a glass, some ice, and a jigger. Measure out 1 jigger of Cointreau, a 1/2 jigger of lime juice, and 2 jiggers of sparkling water into your glass. Add a few orange wedges as a garnish and to add a little extra sweetness to your drink. [14]
    • Depending on how big your glass is, you could always add more sparkling water or double the recipe if you’d like.
  5. Grab a champagne glass, some chilled champagne, and your St-Germain! You can make this drink as champagne-heavy or St-Germain-heavy as you like. More St-Germain will make your drink sweeter, whereas more champagne will make it dryer. Try adding in a few raspberries or a lemon peel for a special touch. [15]
    • On warm days, try adding frozen raspberries or strawberries to help keep your drink cooler for longer.
  6. 6
    Make the Aperitivo with Sambuca, gin, and orange bitters for a light cocktail. This drink is great if you don’t like sweet drinks. Simply add 2 jiggers of gin, 1 jigger of Sambuca, and 4 dashes or orange bitters to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake it until it’s chilled, and then strain it into a cocktail glass. [16]
    • Add an orange slice or peel for an extra garnish.
  7. Use a cocktail-shaker, a muddler, ice, and a jigger to prepare this drink. Muddle 2 slices of jalapeño in the bottom of the cocktail-shaker, add ice, and then measure out 1 jigger of tequila, a 1/2 jigger of triple sec, and a 1/2 jigger of lime juice. Shake to combine and chill the ingredients, and then pour everything into a glass. [17]
    • You could also add a jigger of juice or puree for some extra sweetness. Try apricot puree or pomegranate juice for a fun twist.
    • Use fewer or more jalapeño slices, depending on how spicy you want your drink to be.
  8. Add your ingredients to the glass from heaviest to lightest, and pour slowly so that everything doesn’t mix together. For example, you could pour a layer of Kahlua into a glass, and then very carefully pour a layer of Citronge (an orange-flavored liqueur), and then on top of that add a layer of Irish Cream. This creates a visually appealing and delicious beverage. [18]
    • To help keep your layers separate, try pouring your second and third layers overtop of the back of a spoon into your glass. This helps disperse the weight of the liqueur as your pour.
  9. You don’t always have to mix liqueurs with other ingredients to enjoy them. You can drink many of them over ice, or even simply on their own. Try Limoncello, Chambord, Fireball, Drambuie, Amaretto, and any other liqueurs you like on their own. The better quality a liqueur, the better it will taste served straight. [19]
    • Add a citrus peel, like lemon or orange, to the more bitter liqueurs to open up their sweeter notes.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What are some beginner-friendly liqueurs?
    Kady Richardson
    Mixologist
    Kady Richardson is a mixologist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kady has completed the Comprehensive Bartending Training Program at The Cocktail Camp in San Francisco and specializes in creating approachable, at-home recipes for cocktails. Kady holds a BA in American Studies and an MA in Sociology from Stanford University.
    Kady Richardson
    Mixologist
    Expert Answer
    If you're building up your bar and you want to add liqueurs, I'd start with an orange liqueur like Cointreau, triple sec, or Grand Marnier. I'd also have some sort of amaro, which is a bitter Italian liqueur, like Aperol or Campari. Then I'd probably round it out with a fruity liqueur that has some sweetness, like Creme de Cassis. Also, one of my personal favorites is St-Germain, which is an elderflower liqueur.
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    How do I serve liqueur "on the rocks"?
    Community Answer
    "On the rocks" means to serve a drink over ice.
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      Tips

      • Experiment with different liqueurs and cocktail recipes. The best way to learn what you like is to try new things.
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      Warnings

      • Remember to always drink responsibly and to not drive if you’re tipsy, buzzed, or drunk.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/drinks/national/liqueurs-guide
      2. ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/drinks/national/liqueurs-guide
      3. ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/drinks/national/liqueurs-guide
      4. ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/drinks/national/liqueurs-guide
      5. ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/drinks/national/liqueurs-guide
      6. ↑ Kady Richardson. Mixologist. Expert Interview. 6 August 2020.
      7. ↑ https://www.tastingtable.com/drinks/national/liqueurs-guide
      8. ↑ https://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/06/cocktail-terms-what-is-the-difference-between-aperitif-digestif-liquor-spirit-dry-sweet-perfect-manhattan-spirits-glossary.html
      9. ↑ Kady Richardson. Mixologist. Expert Interview. 6 August 2020.
      1. ↑ https://www.supercall.com/spirits/liqueur/liqueurs-101
      2. ↑ Kady Richardson. Mixologist. Expert Interview. 6 August 2020.
      3. ↑ Kady Richardson. Mixologist. Expert Interview. 6 August 2020.
      4. ↑ https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/amaretto-sour
      5. ↑ https://foodism.co.uk/recipes/cointreau-fizz/
      6. ↑ https://www.stgermain.fr/recipes/
      7. ↑ https://www.barnonedrinks.com/drinks/a/aperitivo-229.html
      8. ↑ https://mixthatdrink.com/spicy-apricot-margarita/
      9. ↑ https://mixthatdrink.com/how-to-pour-a-layered-cocktail/
      10. ↑ https://www.supercall.com/spirits/liqueur/liqueurs-101

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