Table Of Contents

Liqueur 101

Last Updated: December 21, 2024

Liqueurs are basically liquors that have been flavored and sweetened. The term is interchangeable with “cordial,” except in the U.K., where cordial can also just refer to a sweet, non-alcoholic liquid. But because the wide world of liqueurs contains so very many flavors, it’s useful to know a bit about the basic structure—and purpose—of a liqueur.

Read Our Full Liqueur 101 Guide

Popular Liqueur Brands

10 Things You Should Know About Luxardo
10 Things You Should Know About Luxardo
8 Things You Should Know About Suze
8 Things You Should Know About Suze
8 Things You Should Know About Frangelico
8 Things You Should Know About Frangelico
6 Things You Should Know About Midori
6 Things You Should Know About Midori
8 Things You Should Know About St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
8 Things You Should Know About St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
9 Things You Should Know About RumChata
9 Things You Should Know About RumChata
13 Things You Should Know About Chartreuse
13 Things You Should Know About Chartreuse
11 Things You Should Know About Lillet
11 Things You Should Know About Lillet
10 Things You Should Know About Grand Marnier
10 Things You Should Know About Grand Marnier
10 Things You Should Know About Jägermeister
10 Things You Should Know About Jägermeister
11 Things You Didn’t Know About Pimm’s
11 Things You Didn’t Know About Pimm’s
8 Things You Should Know About Malibu Coconut Rum
8 Things You Should Know About Malibu Coconut Rum
9 Things You Should Know About Chambord
9 Things You Should Know About Chambord
14 Things You Should Know About Baileys
14 Things You Should Know About Baileys
Seven Things You Should Know About Southern Comfort
Seven Things You Should Know About Southern Comfort

Recent Liqueur Reviews

Italicus Bergamot Liqueur
Italicus Bergamot Liqueur

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The Best Bottles Of Liqueur To Buy

The 7 Best Liqueurs to Gift This Holiday (2023)
The 7 Best Liqueurs to Gift This Holiday (2023)
The 50 Best Spirits of 2023
The 50 Best Spirits of 2023
The 24 Best Liqueurs for Your Bar Cart
The 24 Best Liqueurs for Your Bar Cart
The 9 Best Triple Secs and Orange Liqueurs for Your Margarita
The 9 Best Triple Secs and Orange Liqueurs for Your Margarita
What is Amaro? 7 Bottles to Get You Started
What is Amaro? 7 Bottles to Get You Started

Liqueur Infographics & Maps

The Essential Shot Guide [Infographic]
The Essential Shot Guide [Infographic]
How Will You Luxardo Limoncello Spritz This Summer? [QUIZ]
How Will You Luxardo Limoncello Spritz This Summer? [QUIZ]
From Spicy to Sweet, There’s a RumChata Cocktail for All Your Holiday Needs [Infographic]
From Spicy to Sweet, There’s a RumChata Cocktail for All Your Holiday Needs [Infographic]
Let’s Duet: 20 of the Best Two-Ingredient Cocktails
Let’s Duet: 20 of the Best Two-Ingredient Cocktails
MAP: The Most Iconic Drink in Every State
MAP: The Most Iconic Drink in Every State

Classic Liqueur Cocktails

The Venetian Spritz
The Venetian Spritz
The Right Hand
The Right Hand
The Left Hand
The Left Hand
Grasshopper
Grasshopper
Pimm’s Cup
Pimm’s Cup
Americano
Americano
Boulevardier
Boulevardier
Negroni
Negroni

Modern Liqueur Cocktails

The French Quarter Fizz Recipe
The French Quarter Fizz Recipe
The Sweater Weather Recipe
The Sweater Weather Recipe
The Armagnac Daiquiri Recipe
The Armagnac Daiquiri Recipe
This Azul Margarita Is Absolutely Gorgeous [RECIPE]
This Azul Margarita Is Absolutely Gorgeous [RECIPE]
Don’t Plan A Summer Picnic Without This Watermelon Margarita
Don’t Plan A Summer Picnic Without This Watermelon Margarita
This V.O.C. Margarita Recipe Is Like Summer In A Glass
This V.O.C. Margarita Recipe Is Like Summer In A Glass
The Campari Spring Punch Recipe
The Campari Spring Punch Recipe

Recent Articles About Liqueur

When Did Malört Go Mainstream?
When Did Malört Go Mainstream?
Bring Aperitivo Flavor to the Holidays With Luxardo Espresso Liqueur
Bring Aperitivo Flavor to the Holidays With Luxardo Espresso Liqueur
How to Tell If Your Spirits and Liqueurs Are Expired
How to Tell If Your Spirits and Liqueurs Are Expired
Of Course Chicago Bars Are Serving Cicada-Infused Malört Shots
Of Course Chicago Bars Are Serving Cicada-Infused Malört Shots
How Chartreuse Finally Made It Big (Again)
How Chartreuse Finally Made It Big (Again)
Remember When Campari Made a Raspberry-Flavored Clear Cordial?
Remember When Campari Made a Raspberry-Flavored Clear Cordial?
Does Plucky, Plum-Based Slivovitz Stand a Chance in Modern Cocktail Culture?
Does Plucky, Plum-Based Slivovitz Stand a Chance in Modern Cocktail Culture?
Patrón XO Cafe’s Unlikely Viral Life After Death
Patrón XO Cafe’s Unlikely Viral Life After Death
Chartreuse Just Opened a Brand New Visitor Center in Paris
Chartreuse Just Opened a Brand New Visitor Center in Paris
7 Things You Should Know About Amaro Montenegro
7 Things You Should Know About Amaro Montenegro
4 Ways to Go Bold This Holiday Season With Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis-Alexandre
4 Ways to Go Bold This Holiday Season With Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis-Alexandre
The 9 Best Coffee Liqueurs for Espresso Martinis
The 9 Best Coffee Liqueurs for Espresso Martinis
A Vanilla-Spiked DIY Coffee Liqueur for All
A Vanilla-Spiked DIY Coffee Liqueur for All
Baileys Irish Cream Will Undergo $33 Million Expansion
Baileys Irish Cream Will Undergo $33 Million Expansion
Eggo’s Boozy ‘Brunch In A Jar’ Liqueur Tastes like Waffles and Bacon
Eggo’s Boozy ‘Brunch In A Jar’ Liqueur Tastes like Waffles and Bacon
There’s a Chartreuse You Can Actually Find — Here’s How to Use It in Cocktails
There’s a Chartreuse You Can Actually Find — Here’s How to Use It in Cocktails
If You’re Still Mourning Patrón X.O Cafe, Tequila Cazadores’ New Liqueur May Fill the Void
If You’re Still Mourning Patrón X.O Cafe, Tequila Cazadores’ New Liqueur May Fill the Void
8 Things You Should Know About Nonino
8 Things You Should Know About Nonino
Will It Cello? The Best Citrus to Make Liqueurs With Beyond Lemons
Will It Cello? The Best Citrus to Make Liqueurs With Beyond Lemons
Beyond Bitter: Unpacking the Cult Appeal of Underberg
Beyond Bitter: Unpacking the Cult Appeal of Underberg
5 Festive Liqueur-Based Cocktails to Make This Holiday Season
5 Festive Liqueur-Based Cocktails to Make This Holiday Season
4 Bottles on Your Bar Cart You Should Throw Away
4 Bottles on Your Bar Cart You Should Throw Away
Baileys Newest Launch Is Toasted S’mores-Flavored
Baileys Newest Launch Is Toasted S’mores-Flavored
Ask a Bartender: What Is Falernum?
Ask a Bartender: What Is Falernum?
7 Things You Should Know About Mr Black Coffee Liqueur
7 Things You Should Know About Mr Black Coffee Liqueur
Going Out With Jake Cornell: It Has to Be Fresh (w/ Hannah Chamberlain)
Going Out With Jake Cornell: It Has to Be Fresh (w/ Hannah Chamberlain)
How Mr Black’s Tom Baker Turned His Coffee Snobbery Into a Global Liqueur Brand
How Mr Black’s Tom Baker Turned His Coffee Snobbery Into a Global Liqueur Brand
How Much Gold Is Actually in Goldschläger?
How Much Gold Is Actually in Goldschläger?
Renato Vicario and Janette Wesley Are Making Sustainable Italian Liqueurs in South Carolina
Renato Vicario and Janette Wesley Are Making Sustainable Italian Liqueurs in South Carolina
How Baileys Became a 2-Billion-Bottle Brand (and Counting)
How Baileys Became a 2-Billion-Bottle Brand (and Counting)
VinePair Podcast: How Craft Cocktails Introduced Americans to Amaro
VinePair Podcast: How Craft Cocktails Introduced Americans to Amaro
Cynar: The Unsung Hero of the Great Cocktail Revival
Cynar: The Unsung Hero of the Great Cocktail Revival
8 of the Best RumChata Cocktail Recipes
8 of the Best RumChata Cocktail Recipes
VinePair Podcast: The Cream Liqueur Category Is Absolutely Wild Right Now
VinePair Podcast: The Cream Liqueur Category Is Absolutely Wild Right Now
Bring Back the Four-Chamber Liqueur Bottle, the ’60s Home Bar Staple
Bring Back the Four-Chamber Liqueur Bottle, the ’60s Home Bar Staple
The Spirits Business Is Stacked Against Black Owners — But That Can Change
The Spirits Business Is Stacked Against Black Owners — But That Can Change
From Campari to Kahlúa, New Uses for Old Liqueurs
From Campari to Kahlúa, New Uses for Old Liqueurs
The Complete Guide to Alpine Spirits, and How to Use Them
The Complete Guide to Alpine Spirits, and How to Use Them
All the Anise Spirits That Aren’t Absinthe, Explained
All the Anise Spirits That Aren’t Absinthe, Explained
Jägermeister Aims to Outgrow Its Hard-Partying Reputation With Bartenders and Craft Beer Collabs
Jägermeister Aims to Outgrow Its Hard-Partying Reputation With Bartenders and Craft Beer Collabs
Jägermeister to Debut Cold Brew Coffee Flavor
Jägermeister to Debut Cold Brew Coffee Flavor
Are You Ready for an Absinthe Salad?
Are You Ready for an Absinthe Salad?
Jägermeister Launched Jäger Eggs and they Sold Out Immediately
Jägermeister Launched Jäger Eggs and they Sold Out Immediately
Everything You Need to Know About Crème de Cassis, Explained
Everything You Need to Know About Crème de Cassis, Explained
Fireball-Spiked Cupcakes Are Here To Light Up Your Holiday Spread
Fireball-Spiked Cupcakes Are Here To Light Up Your Holiday Spread