Top 10 Liqueurs for Christmas

Christmas wouldn’t be the same without the traditional flavours of chocolate, marzipan and orange, which is why we’ve listed our top 10 liqueurs for Christmas.

Our list contains old and new liqueurs for Christmas

Earlier this week we revealed our pick of which whiskies to buy this Christmas, either as a gift or a personal indulgence, but they lack that creamy smooth texture and rich truffle taste only found in a liqueur.

There have been some notable liqueur launches in 2012, from Baileys Orange Truffle to Kahlua Gingerbread, both of which appear in our list, but we’ve included some goold old favourites in here as well.

Think we’ve missed something? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Bailey’s Orange Truffle

Undoubtedly one of the most talked about limited edition Christmas liqueur launches for 2012, Bailey’s Orange Truffle has caused a commotion particularly in its core UK market.

A blend of Baileys Original Irish Cream and orange truffle flavour, the liqueur is only available from October 2012 to January 2013 in the UK and Australia, as well as in select travel retail outlets in both countries.

Rumours that the limited edition sold out within weeks of being on sale have not been clarified, although the brand’s synonymous relationship with Christmas and with such a unique new flavour, those rumours are hardly unbelievable.

Drambuie 15

Don’t give your Grandad the same old bottle of Drambuie. First of all, if you are going to give a gift of the traditional spiced whisky liqueur this Christmas, upgrade it to Drambuie 15. The aged version has a more complex and less sweet flavour than the original, with notes of honey, butterscotch and spices.

Secondly, why just give it to your Grandad? Drambuie 15 is sophisticated enough a liqueur, featuring a blend of 15-year-old Speyside malts, to be drunk by a younger generation. Drink it over ice after dinner in front of the telly with a mince pie.

Warninks Advocaat

It’s an acquired taste, and not everybody is keen on drinking egg yolks with brandy. But Warninks Advocaat is a classic Christmas taste and not one we could leave off our list. Served neat and chilled, advocaat’s creamy, vanilla flavour is extremely comforting on a cold night, but don’t forget to jazz it up with a splash of lemonade to entertain guests at your Christmas party.

Kahlua Gingerbread

Another limited edition liqueur, this time from Kahlua and a US exclusive. Blending 100% Arabica coffee, rum, gingerbread, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove, Kahlua Gingerbread offers a classic taste of the nation’s favourite festive biscuit (cookie) in a glass.

Launched this winter, it joins Kahlua’s limited edition holiday range, which also includes Kahlua Peppermint Mocha. It’s available nationwide for US$17.99.

Grand Marnier Paris limited edition

For all those Grand Marnier lovers out there, a perfect gift this Christmas would be the special edition Grand Marnier Paris bottle. Designed to mirror the Paris skyline at night, the blue lacquered bottle is the eleventh specially designed release from Grand Marnier since 1927.

Coupled with the fact that Grand Marnier’s iconic orange flavour is perfect this time of year, this special edition bottle makes the perfect gift.

It’s available in specialist liquor stores for £25.99.

Patron XO Café

We chose this “coffee liqueur” over others for its rich, dry flavour with notes of chocolate and vanilla. Patron calls its XO Café a flavoured Tequila, rather than a liqueur, but either way its rich coffee notes are beautiful in festive Martinis and long cocktails over Christmas.

Paired with Patron Reposado and crushed red chillies in its signature Spiced Chocolate cocktail, Patron XO Café is an indulgent liqueur to savour when it’s cold outside.

St-Remy a la Crème

St-Remy a la Crème is a blend of classic French brandy and cream which has been launched in global travel retail following a successful trial run in the US.

Described as tasting of coffee, cookie and caramel, St-Remy a la Crème is ideal served chilled nest or over ice.

Brand owner Remy Cointreau suggests its new liqueur is served in a long drink with its other classic liqueur, Cointreau, or in coffee for cream with a kick.

Disaronno

How could you have Christmas without the festive flavour of marzipan? We couldn’t make a list of the best liqueurs to enjoy at Christmas and leave Disaronno amaretto out.

The traditional blend of almond flavour, Madagascan vanilla and caramelised sugar mixes easily with a variety of other spirits and soft drinks to create a number of festive cocktails.

Try pairing with vodka and fresh coffee in an Espresso Tini, or with apple juice and Drambuie for a spiced apple cocktail.

The King’s Ginger

While the taste of ginger, particularly in a liqueur, may be too much for some to handle on its own, The King’s Ginger liqueur is a perfect addition to many a Christmas cocktail.

Mix it into apple cider with cinnamon for an uplifting winter punch, or use instead of cassis for a kir royale with a twist. We think it would make a perfect replacement for the typical brandy poured over the top of the Christmas pud before being set alight. Spicy.

Thornton’s chocolate liqueur

Thornton’s Chocolate Liqueur is a smooth, rich drink packing plenty of cocoa punch from the famous high street chocolatier. Christmas is most definitely a time for Chocolate, and when it comes to settling down in front of the late afternoon movie with a drink, we could think of nothing better for chocoholics out there than this tipple.

It’s available in most supermarkets and liquor stores for around £11. After Christmas, try mixing it into desserts or use it to top ice cream.