FESTIVE LIQUEURS
...and something for the grown-ups!
WINNER
Tesco Finest Gingerbread Latte Irish Cream Liqueur
£10 per 70cl 90/100
Our winning festive liqueur does exactly what it says on the tin: the flavour is warming and spicy with plenty of ginger, which cuts through the rich cream. It is rich, but the alcohol on the finish lingers and lifts the sweetness. An indulgence on its own, over ice or in a coffee.
RUNNERS-UP M&S Luxurious Chocolate Salted Caramel Brownie Flavour Cream Liqueur
£12 for 70cl 84/100
This delicious cream liqueur smells exactly like a freshly baked caramel brownie with caramelised sugar, earthy cocoa and a creamy richness on the nose, followed by the same full flavours on the palate. A slight salty tang adds depth. There is also a touch of warming alcohol that many of our testers felt lifts the sweetness of this liqueur to prevent it from becoming cloying.
The King’s Ginger Liqueur £21.13 for 50cl; masterofmalt.com
83/100
This golden liqueur is like a ginger biscuit in a glass, which testers loved. It has a concentrated candied ginger aroma. This is a warming, spicy liqueur packed with a sweet and fiery ginger punch. Our testers felt this would work well in a Christmas cocktail, over ice or poured over vanilla ice cream for an indulgent, grown-up treat.
Disaronno Velvet £15 for 70cl; ocado.com
83/100
This is a luxuriously thick, cream-based incarnation of Disaronno’s classic amaretto liqueur. It has a rich, sweet and creamy marzipan aroma, which follows on to a nicely balanced sweet almond and double cream flavour. There is a touch of comforting, warming alcohol on the finish. This would add a superb twist to an Irish coffee.
Asda Extra Special Mince Pie Gin Liqueur
£10 for 70cl 79/100
This auburn liqueur has a sweet and tangy aroma reminiscent of mulled wine. The flavour is sweet and lightly spiced with a vanilla and dried fruit note. The texture is light, rather than cloying, with really well-balanced alcohol.
Cointreau Vincent Darré Limited Edition bottle
£32.99 for 70cl; Selfridges 78/100
This classic festive liqueur has a fragrant aroma of zesty, candied citrus peel and fresh orange juice. It’s tangy and fresh and there is a touch of alcohol warmth, but the liqueur is well-balanced without being cloying.
Licor 43 Horchata £18 for 70cl; tesco.com
77/100
This dairy-free, vegan liqueur has a luxurious, creamy aroma of almond milk and a gentle hint of cinnamon spice. The flavour is rich, with a hint of nuttiness and lots of gentle warming festive spices – cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
Aldi Infusionist Millionaires Shortbread Gin
£9.99 for 50cl 77/100
This pale golden liqueur has a sweet, buttery vanilla caramel and shortbread aroma. It smells rich and enticing. The flavour is sugary sweet and a little synthetic, but with a rich sweet caramel flavour. One for those with a sweet tooth.
Reverend Hubert Winter Liqueur £34.45 for 50cl; thewhiskyexchange.com
77/100
This deep golden liqueur has a sweet mulled apple aroma and flavour, with gentle notes of nutmeg and cinnamon. The flavour is tangy-like mulled apple cider with plenty of orange zest and festive spice and has a warming alcohol hit on the finish.
Lidl Deluxe Irish Cream Salted Caramel Liqueur
£5.99 for 70cl 76/100
This indulgent liqueur has a rich, sweet caramel and toffee aroma. The flavour is rich with intense caramel, cream and a hint of salt. It is well-balanced without being sickly and is very smooth. Some testers found it a bit synthetic in flavour.