Flavorman works with different companies to bring new liqueurs to life .
Johnny Swet , master mixologist and founding partner of Jimmy rooftop bar in New York
The market offers a huge variety of liqueurs , and those products are constantly being updated , spun off and expanded upon . Because of this range , it ’ s easiest to differentiate liqueurs by their flavor profile . Chocolate , coffee and cream liqueurs are classic options that typically run sweet , such as Kahlua or Bailey ’ s Irish Cream .
On the opposite end of the flavor spectrum , bitters are , as the name suggests , bitter . They are liqueurs sweetened — technically — with rich herbal flavors .
The Italian bitter liqueurs , known as amari , are in a class by themselves . Campari , a key ingredient in the Negroni , increased nearly 8 % in 2021 , according to the Beverage Information Group ’ s Liquor Handbook . The bright orange bitter Aperol was up 23 %.
Other popular cordials and liqueurs include Fireball , Grand Marnier , RumChata and Blue Curaçao — each unique it its flavor profile . The herbal liqueur Jägermeister reversed a slide in comsumption in 2021 , posting a nearly 30 % increase .
CONSUMPTION CREEPS UP Because of cordials ’ prominence in cocktails , they have historically been most used in bars and restaurants . Even though on-premise operators were largly shuttered most of 2020 , with so many people making drinks at home , the category did see a lift .
For instance , consumption of cordials and liqueurs was up 3.1 % in 2020 . The category didn ’ t die down after on-premise made its return , either ; rather , it increased 6.2 % in 2021 .
Part of that is the home bartenders continuing to stock the liquor cabinets , says Marina Velez , research director for the Beverage Information Group . It ’ s also a sign that bars and restaurants had to replenish their inventories of cordials and liqueurs when they reopened .
Swet is confident that the category will find a balance between on-premise and at-home mixing , allowing for continued growth .
“ It ’ s fifty-fifty ,” he says . “ People are definitely returning to bars , but there ’ s still a sense of home parties , especially when the weather is up and down . There ’ s still a mentality of , ‘ Oh , I used to have this all the time when I was out , now we ’ re having a party , let ’ s recreate it ’.”
EXPERIMENTATION TAKES CENTER STAGE There ’ s a healthy mix of innovation in the liqueurs category and nostalgic brands as well . “ People are going for both ,” says Swet . “ I see a lot of people going experimental , but some people at home , they want to show that they can do a classic cocktail . So I feel like you can definitely have both .”
All sorts of interesting products crop up all the time , Swet adds . “ If you can think of a flavor , then somebody ’ s either already or are going to come up with a liqueur to capture that flavor . If you can imagine it , someone ’ s working on it .”
For instance , he points to an ancho chili liqueur he started using a few years ago . “ You get all these flavors you wouldn ’ t be able to get from a spirit , with liqueurs , and you also get a blend of flavors .”
What ’ s hot right now ? During the past few years cocktail culture has been driving innovation , “ with botanical-forward and heavily flavored liqueurs that are intended to be used to make high-end cocktails ,” says Tom Gibson , director at Flavorman .
“ Bartenders and home cocktailers are interested in offerings that can be used to create delicious and colorful cocktails by blending a variety of cordials and liqueurs with gins , whiskeys and rums ,” Gison says . “ Consumers continue to demand complex and unique flavor profiles , and the liqueur category can deliver like no other alcoholic beverage category .”
There ’ s been a heavy emphasis on the innovation that the category offers , which may lead some to question if there is too much in the way of new products and choices .
“ It ’ s possible we ’ ve reached or are approaching a level of saturation ,” says Knarr of Sorry Charlie ’ s . The cocktail revitalization of the 2000s brought plenty of new bitters , cordials and like products .
“ But every time I think that it ’ s all been done or everything ’ s out there , someone comes up with something new and proves me wrong .”
34 • Winter 2022 www . cheersonline . com