5 Lesser-Known Liqueurs That’ll Blow the Socks Off Your Next Tequila Cocktail
(Photo: Chinola)
If you’re mixing up a tequila cocktail, you almost certainly have a bottle of triple sec in your bar cart — maybe a bitter aperitif like Campari or Aperol and some Amaretto or St-Germain if you’re feeling fancy.
But there are so many other delicious liqueurs to spice up your favorite drink. And nearly all of them cost $40 or less.
Today, we’re taking a look at five criminally underrated liqueurs perfect for tequila home mixologists and more.
St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur
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Certainly one of the more unconventional flavors on the market, St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur blends pear brandy with cloves, Saigon cinnamon and organic cane sugar for a sweet and sticky mess of flavor.
Unlike many of the other liqueurs on this list, this is one you’ll have to find particular cocktail recipes for. Consider mixing it into a Pear Margarita, fruity Moscow Mule or Jalisco Pear. It’s a marvel that pear hasn’t been incorporated into more established cocktail recipes, but at $35, St. George makes it easy.
Mandarine Napoleon
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Believe it or not, Mandarine Napoleon has been continuously producing its recipe since 1892. As legend would have it, the cognac-mandarine liqueur was originally invented for Napoleon Bonaparte by his physician Antoine-Francois de Fourcroy. Years later, it was rediscovered in Fourcroy’s diary by a Belgian chemist and brought to the mainstream.
It boasts a darkened fruity blend of aged cognac, macerated citrus, black tea and baking spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom. If you’re tired of Cointreau, this is the ultimate margarita mixer. Bottles sell for around $35.
Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur
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We don’t have to do much explaining for this one — rest assured, Chinola tastes just like passion fruit.
Each bottle is said to contain roughly six large passion fruits sourced from the Samaná peninsula in the northern Dominican Republic. Sweet, tropical and a hint mouth-puckering, Chinola works well within a Passion Fruit Paloma, Tigre Del Valle and Pornstar Martini.
Passion fruit is perhaps one of the trendiest flavors to have near-zero representation in the liqueur world. Picking up a bottle of Chinola will cost $29.
Le Monè Meyer Lemon Aperitif
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Sometimes, you’re just looking for something refreshing. A recent addition to the aperitif market, Le Monè balances white wine with California brandy, Meyer lemon peel, bergamot and a healthy serving of agave syrup. Despite its hefty ingredient list, Le Monè clocks in at a light 16% ABV.
Perfect for spritzes and citrus-forward cocktails, Le Monè will cost you around $35 a bottle. In a write-up, The New York Times said that it contains “enough bright, citric flavor to cancel winter.”
Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur
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There are a lot of ginger liqueurs in circulation; chances are, you’re already familiar with name brands like Domaine de Canton. Delicious as the competition may be, Barrow’s takes its flavor in bold, unabashedly gingery new directions.
Made from a combination of Peruvian and Chinese ginger, Barrow’s lives up to its “Intense” surname with a heap of fresh grated ginger bite balanced alongside hints of brown sugar and limoncello. This might be an acquired taste for some, but it’s a must-buy for anyone that knows they love the flavor of a good Moscow Mule or El Diablo. Bottles retail for $32.
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