
What is the difference between cordial&liqueur?
While some people use the term "cordial" to refer to a fruit-flavored liqueur, the words "cordial" and "liqueur" essentially mean the same thing. Both terms refer to alcoholic beverages that contain at least 2.5 percent sugar and/or dextrose by weight.
What does cordial mean in a drink?
Cordial Has a Few Meanings. Cordial and liqueur are often used interchangeably to described these sweet spirits, but cordial does have a few other meanings in the drink world. Cordial is often used to describe sweeter distilled spirits that are very dessert-like.
What is liqueur and how is it made?
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.
What is a small cordial glass?
Small cordial glasses are designed for enjoying liqueurs straight. For the most part, liqueurs are used in cocktails where they add their sweet flavor to the drink. Many recipes use a small pour of the liqueur to accent and soften the drink's main liquor, and you'll find countless recipes that combine two or more liqueurs.

What makes a liqueur a cordial?
A liqueur, or cordial, is a sweetened distilled spirit. Flavored with a variety of fruits, nuts, herbs, and spices, as well as things like chocolate and coffee, liqueurs contribute more flavor than alcohol to cocktails and mixed drinks.
What are considered cordials?
Synonymous with liqueurs, cordials are the largest and most diverse category of spirits. Cordials are made by mixing or redistilling neutral spirits, brandy, rum or other spirits with natural ingredients such as fruit, herbs and cream. Some cordials are consumed neat; others are perfect for cocktails.
What is the difference between a cordial and an aperitif?
categories. Aperitifs were developed specifically as pre-meal beverages. Cordials and liqueurs have a variety of purposes. Some are great mixers, others are good after-dinner drinks, and a few make good aperitifs as well.
Is Amaretto a cordial?
Amaretto cordials taste just like the sweet, almond-flavored Italian liqueur. This delectable treat is a liquid amaretto center surrounded with rich dark chocolate. Each piece tastes like a vacation for your taste buds. You won't believe how wonderful these amaretto cordials are until you try them.
Is Grand Marnier a cordial?
It is made from a blend of Cognac brandy, distilled essence of bitter orange, and sugar, containing 40% alcohol (70 proof in UK, 80 proof in US). It is commonly consumed "neat" as a cordial or a digestif, and can be used in mixed drinks and desserts....Grand Marnier.TypeLiqueurFlavourOrangeWebsitewww.grand-marnier.com7 more rows
What is cordial called in the US?
Squash (sometimes known as cordial in English, dilute in Hiberno English, and diluting juice in Scottish English) is a non-alcoholic beverage with concentrated syrup used in beverage making. It is usually fruit-flavoured, made from fruit juice, water, and sugar or a sugar substitute.
What is considered a liqueur?
Technically, liqueurs are liquor because they are distilled spirits. The general difference is that liqueurs are sweetened spirits with various flavors, oils, and extracts added; rum, whiskey, brandy, and other liquors can serve as a base spirit for liqueurs.
Why is a drink called a cordial?
The word comes from the Latin “cor” which means “heart”. Indeed, cordials can be thought of as 'sweethearts' of the beverage world as they are usually dessert-like spirits added to a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Historically, cordials were sweet medicinal tonics that made the medicine go down.
When should you drink cordial?
Most are not offered before dinner as aperitifs tend to be on the dry side and cordials are generally quite sweet. They are best presented after the meal, either by themselves as a digestive or paired with a dessert.
Is Limoncello a cordial?
Limoncello (sometimes called "lemoncello") liqueur is made by soaking lemon zests in neutral grain alcohol for a month or more. The result is a thick, sweet dessert cordial with an intense lemon flavor. It is traditionally an Italian liqueur but is also produced in other countries, including the United States, today.
Why is Disaronno not called amaretto?
Amaretto is a liqueur of Italian origin having an amber color and almond taste, whereas Disaronno is a brand of Amaretto. In conclusion, the main difference between Amaretto and Disaronno is their almond content. Some Amaretto brands contain almonds, but Disaronno does not contain almonds despite its almond flavor.
Is brandy a cordial?
Unlike cordials however, brandy is distilled from a specific fruit instead of infused with its flavor. Flavor Profile: Smooth to robust; flavors and intensity vary based on the origin and fruit used. The addition of a fruit brandy to a cocktail can highlight other fruit notes in your drink.
What does cordial drink mean?
A cordial is a strong alcoholic drink with a sweet taste. You drink it after a meal. [US]regional note: in BRIT, use liqueur. More Synonyms of cordial.
Is cordial the same as syrup?
“Syrup is the broad-based category, and cordials are a segment of it; not all syrups are cordials, but all cordials are syrups,” says Christa Cotton of El Guapo Bitters in New Orleans. “To me, a cordial is more complex in flavor; there are more components.”
What is a fruit cordial?
What is cordial? Cordial is a non-alcoholic concentrated syrup used in beverage making. It is usually fruit-flavoured, made from fruit juice, water, and sugar or a sugar substitute. Modern cordials may also contain food colouring and additional flavouring.
Is Jagermeister a cordial?
Jagermeister Cordial Liqueur - 750ml Bottle.
What Is a Cordial?
Cordial and liqueur are often used interchangeably to described these sweet distilled spirits. However, cordial has a few other meanings in the drink world:
What is a liqueur?
Back to Top. A liqueur, or cordial, is a sweetened distilled spirit. Flavored with a variety of fruits, nuts, herbs, and spices, as well as things like chocolate and coffee, liqueurs contribute more flavor than alcohol to cocktails and mixed drinks. As drink ingredients, liqueurs are just as important as the base liquors in the bar.
How Strong Are Liqueurs?
Due to the sugar and other flavoring ingredients, many liqueurs are low-proof spirits. They contain less alcohol than whiskey, gin, and the other base spirits. The average is between 15 percent alcohol by volume (ABV, 30 proof) and 30 percent ABV (60 proof). A few liqueurs—including Cointreau and Grand Marnier —are full strength and bottled at 40 percent ABV (80 proof).
What is a small cordial glass?
Small cordial glasses are designed for enjoying liqueurs straight. For the most part, liqueurs are used in cocktails where they add their sweet flavor to the drink. Many recipes use a small pour of the liqueur to accent and soften the drink's main liquor, and you'll find countless recipes that combine two or more liqueurs.
How long does a liqueur last?
Any open bottle may show signs of flavor loss or sugar crystallization after a few years. It's best to enjoy open bottles within two years, and liqueurs that contain dairy or eggs within 18 months.
How does liqueur add flavor?
In general, all of the ingredients are blended according to their specific recipe. The amount of sugar added varies as well, and some are cloying while others are off-dry. "Crème" liqueurs have a lot of sugar but are not creamy.
What is a liqueur with a specific flavor?
The variety of liqueurs on the market today is diverse and always expanding. You will find liqueurs with a specific flavor profile, such as coffee liqueur, crème de menthe (mint), and crème de framboise (raspberry). Among these, a few brand names stand out—Kahlúa (coffee) and Chambord (black raspberry), for example—and have almost become synonymous with the flavor they represent.
What is the difference between a liqueur and a cordial?
What Is the Difference Between a Cordial and a Liqueur? While some people use the term “cordial” to refer to a fruit-flavored liqueur, the words “cordial” and “ liqueur” essentially mean the same thing. Both terms refer to alcoholic beverages that contain at least 2.5 percent sugar and/or dextrose by weight.
What are some examples of cordials?
An alcohol -- such as brandy or gin -- is mixed with natural flavors, often from fruits or plants. Examples include creme de menthe, raspberry cordial and sambuca.
Can you mix liqueurs before or after a meal?
Liqueurs and cordials work well before a meal as aperitifs, or after a meal as digestifs. For your aperitif, choose a more subtly flavored liqueur that won’t overwhelm the palate before the meal. Try mixing creme de cassis with champagne or serve a cocktail with triple sec, an orange-flavored liqueur. For your digestif, opt for a liqueur with a strong, pronounced flavor that complements your dessert. The almond flavor of amaretto liqueur pairs well with a chocolate almond torte, and the coffee flavor of Kahlua brings out the espresso flavor in a tiramisu.
What is the difference between liqueur and cordial?
The word "liqueur" comes from the Latin Liquefacere, which means the process of dissolving something in liquid. Cordial, on the other hand, comes from the Latin word for heart, cor. Whether you call it cordial or liqueur, both words describe the same thing: an alcoholic beverage in which spirits have been steeped, percolated, brewed, ...
What is a cordial liqueur?
Cordials and Liqueurs of the World. These sweet spirits know it's always best to be cordial. Lower in alcohol than straight spirits, these tasty tipples are sweetened spirits infused with fruits, flowers, herbs, nuts, and/or spices--sometimes even bark, roots, and leaves. The word "liqueur" comes from the Latin Liquefacere, ...
What is a cordial?
Liqueurs And Cordials. 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.
What is the best way to get flavor out of a liquor?
There are four basic methods: infusion, extraction, distillation, or smoking, any of which can be used to get your desired flavor compounds (say, herbs and florals or maybe coffee and chocolate) into a base liquor. Because you’re basically painting flavor onto alcohol, a neutral base liquor is the easiest to work with.
Can you go liqueur by liqueur?
It’ll help absolutely no one to go liqueur by liqueur to see how flavors are imparted, mostly since there are as many liqueurs as there are possible flavors out there (seriously, we’re talking artichoke, almond, rhubarb, coffee, cinnamon, the list goes on).
Is Fireball a whiskey?
Fireball – not a whiskey at all, a whiskey-based cinnamon liqueur. Galliano – a mix of herbs, fruit, florals, but vanilla dominates. Chartreuse – a brandy-based liqueur with 130 herbs, florals, and aromatics. Benedictine – herbal liqueur. St. Germain – elderflower liqueur.
Is bitter amaros a liqueur?
Better to have a list of some of the most popular liqueurs and see what you like. Bear in mind, bitter amaros are absolutely liqueurs, but because they’re specifically bitter, and the flavor profile is such a distinctive thing, we’re treating them in a separate entry.
What is the Difference Between Liquor, Liqueur, Cordials, and Spirits?
Okay, so we are going to get technical here. When you go to a bar, a liquor store, or perhaps when you’re having a sophisticated conversation about alcohol with your friend, you’ll probably hear one or all of these terms. Often, these words are used interchangeably in a conversation—sometimes correctly and other times not. So, we dug into the alcohol dictionary to find out the meaning of the words liquor, liqueur, cordials, and spirits to see when to use which.
What is a cordial?
Liqueurs & Cordials. Liqueur: [noun] a strong, sweet alcoholic drink that is usually drunk in small amounts at the end of a meal. Cordials: [noun] liqueur. - Cambridge Dictionary. Contrary to liquors, liqueurs contain much more sugar and are often used as flavoring agent in a cocktail.
What is a spirit?
Liquors & Spirits. Liquor: [noun] strong alcoholic drink. Spirit: [noun] a strong alcoholic drink. - Cambridge Dictionary. Let’s start with the most popular one. Liquor is a commonly used name for any type of alcohol.
What are some examples of liqueurs?
Examples of liqueurs are Curaçao Liqueurs, Disaronno, Bailey’s, Amaretto, etc. Another word that is often used for liqueur is cordials. These are also used as a digestive after dinner or in a dessert. Our Liqueur Selection.
Do liquors have flavoring?
In general liquors have none to little sugar added and no flavor. But, recently you can see different brands bringing new types of liquors to the market that do have flavoring in it. These types of spirits are often used as a base for a cocktail.
Is liquor a word?
Examples are rum, vodka, gin, whiskey, etc. Another word for liquor is spirits, so in this case, these two words are indeed interchangeable.

Liqueur vs. Liquor
What Is A Cordial?
- Cordial and liqueur are often used interchangeably to described these sweet distilled spirits. However, cordial has a few other meanings in the drink world: 1. Cordial is often used for the sweetest distilled spirits that are very dessert-like. You might see "cordial" on labels for chocolate or cream spirits, for instance. 2. Cordial can also descr...
How Are Liqueurs Made?
- Liqueurs begin with a base liquor. It can be anything from neutral grain alcohol to brandy, whiskey, or rum. Sugar is often added along with a mix of herbs, fruits, spices, and other ingredients to obtain the desired flavor. Several liqueurs use artificial flavors and colors; this is particularly true among the cheaper brands. The exact process of adding flavor depends on the style of liqueur a…
How Strong Are Liqueurs?
- Due to the sugar and other flavoring ingredients, many liqueurs are low-proof spirits. They contain less alcohol than whiskey, gin, and the other base spirits. The average is between 15 percent alcohol by volume (ABV, 30 proof) and 30 percent ABV (60 proof). A few liqueurs—including Cointreau and Grand Marnier—are full strength and bottled at 40 percent ABV (80 proof). You'll o…
Types of Liqueurs
- The variety of liqueurs on the market today is diverse and always expanding. You will find liqueurs with a specific flavor profile, such as coffee liqueur, crème de menthe (mint), and crème de framboise (raspberry). Among these, a few brand names stand out—Kahlúa (coffee) and Chambord(black raspberry), for example—and have almost become synonymous with the flavor …
How to Drink Liqueurs
- Due to their sweet nature, many liqueurs can be considered digestif and are great when served straight with dessert. If you like, chill the bottle or serve it on the rocks. Small cordial glassesare designed for enjoying liqueurs straight. For the most part, liqueurs are used in cocktails where they add their sweet flavor to the drink. Many recipes use a small pour of the liqueur to accent a…
How to Store Liqueurs
- The sugar and other additives reduce the shelf life of liqueurswhen compared to unsweetened and unflavored distilled spirits. The more sugar and less alcohol it contains, the less time you have before a liqueur goes bad. Any open bottle may show signs of flavor loss or sugar crystallization after a few years. It's best to enjoy open bottles within two years, and liqueurs tha…