Liqueur: what it is, how to drink it, where to buy

A liqueur is a spirit that has been sweetened and flavored with fruit, herbs, spices, cream, nuts or coffee, and it is usually bottled at a lower strength than the spirit it started from. If you want one in Westford, CBC Liquors at 142 Littleton Rd keeps a full liqueur section, from fruit schnapps and cream liqueurs to Italian aperitivo.

What is a liqueur, and how is it different from other liquor?

A liqueur starts with a base spirit, such as neutral grain spirit, brandy or whiskey, and then gets flavor and sugar added. The flavor can come from steeping fruit, herbs, roots or spices in the spirit, from distilling botanicals with it, or from blending in cream, coffee or nuts. The sugar is what separates a liqueur from the rest of the liquor shelf: vodka, rum and whiskey are not sweetened in the same way.

Because of the added sugar and the lower alcohol content, liqueurs taste rounder and softer than a straight spirit. That is why they are used in small measures in cocktails, poured over ice after dinner, or stirred into coffee and desserts.

The word is sometimes confused with cordial, and in the United States the two terms are often used interchangeably. You may also see the spelling "liquer" on a shelf label or a website category. Same family of drinks, and you will find them together in the liquers category.

What kinds of liqueur are there?

The easiest way to sort liqueurs is by what they taste of. Fruit liqueurs and schnapps lead with berry, citrus, melon or stone fruit. Cream liqueurs blend dairy cream with a spirit and usually chocolate, coffee or vanilla. Herbal and bitter-sweet liqueurs, including aperitivo, lean on botanicals such as gentian, citrus peel and spices. Nut and coffee liqueurs sit somewhere between dessert and digestif.

Schnapps is a word worth clearing up. In the United States it usually means a lighter, sweet, flavored spirit in the liqueur family, often peach, apple, peppermint or watermelon. In parts of Europe, schnapps means a dry fruit brandy with no added sugar, which is a different drink altogether.

Two neighbors of the liqueur shelf are worth knowing about. Vermouth is a fortified, aromatized wine that sits next to liqueurs in many stores, and bitters are concentrated botanical flavorings used a few drops at a time.

Which liqueurs does CBC Liquors carry in Westford?

The liqueur section at CBC Liquors covers several styles, and a handful of the bottles on the shelf show the range well.

For fruit, 99 Watermelons Schnapps is one of the shop's best sellers in stock now. It is a sweet, bright, watermelon-flavored schnapps that suits shots, slushy-style mixed drinks and fruit punches.

For cream, Baileys Original Irish Cream blends cream with Irish whiskey. It is the usual choice for coffee, hot chocolate and dessert, and it is good on its own over ice.

For mint and grape, DR MCGILLICUDDYS Mentholmint and DR MCGILLICUDDYS Wild Grape are flavored liqueurs that are meant to be served very cold.

For spice, Fireball TORCH'D VANILLA is a vanilla-flavored bottle from the brand behind Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey, which is also in stock at the shop.

For a bitter-sweet aperitivo, Sarti ROSA APERITIVO is an Italian-style aperitif, something you serve before dinner with soda or sparkling wine rather than after.

How do you drink a liqueur?

There is no single right way, and the best method depends on the style. Most liqueurs are happy over ice in a short glass. Sweeter ones, such as fruit schnapps and mint, are often served chilled or from the freezer, because cold takes the edge off the sugar.

Cream liqueurs are at their best over ice, in coffee, or poured over ice cream. Keep the measure small: a liqueur is a dessert-weight drink, and one pour is plenty.

Aperitivo is the odd one out. It is built to be bitter-sweet and refreshing, so it is usually served with ice, a slice of citrus and a splash of soda water or sparkling wine. Serve it before the meal, not after.

If you are trying a style for the first time, taste it neat in a small glass before you mix it. It tells you quickly whether you want it as a sipper or as a cocktail ingredient.

What do you mix a liqueur with?

Liqueurs carry a lot of flavor, so a little goes a long way. A simple pairing is a liqueur with a spirit and a mixer. Fruit schnapps with vodka and lemon-lime soda makes an easy long drink. Vodka and a coffee or cream liqueur is the base of several classic after-dinner cocktails.

Two useful rules apply. Pair sweet with sharp: citrus juice, tonic or soda water keeps a sweet liqueur from tasting heavy. And pair a strong flavor with a spirit that does not compete with it. Whiskey goes well with spice and cream, while rum and brandy or cognac go well with coffee and orange.

For the bottles that go alongside, the shop's mixers section has sodas, tonic and other basics, so you can pick up the liqueur and what goes with it in one stop.

How do you store a liqueur once it is open?

Most liqueurs keep well because of their sugar and alcohol. Store the bottle upright, with the cap on tight, away from sunlight and heat. A cupboard is better than a window sill or the top of the refrigerator.

Cream liqueurs are the exception worth reading the label for. Because they contain dairy, many makers recommend keeping them cool and using them within a stated time after opening. Check the back of the bottle for the maker's instructions, and if one has separated, smells sour or looks off, do not drink it.

Over a long time, fruit and herbal liqueurs can lose some of their brightness and aroma, even if they are still safe. If a bottle has been open for a year or more and tastes flat, that is the reason, and it is better to buy a fresh one than to keep topping up a tired one.

How do you choose between liqueurs if you are not sure?

Start with how you want to use it. If the bottle is for coffee and dessert, look at cream liqueurs. If it is for a party and mixed drinks, look at fruit and flavored liqueurs, which are easy to build into punches and highballs. If it is for an aperitif or a spritz-style drink, look at aperitivo.

Then think about who is drinking. Sweet, fruity liqueurs are an easy introduction for guests who do not like the bite of straight spirits. Bitter-sweet styles reward people who already enjoy herbal flavors or a drink like a negroni.

If you are choosing for a gift, a recognizable cream liqueur or a bottle with a clear flavor on the label is the safer pick. The staff at the Littleton Rd shop can help you narrow it down when you come in. Everyone buying alcohol must be 21 or older.

Can you get liqueur from CBC Liquors by pickup or delivery?

You can walk in and shop the shelf at 142 Littleton Rd in Westford. The store is open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

CBC Liquors also offers pickup, with the same hours as the shop, and delivery, with hours running a half hour earlier at closing: Sunday until 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday until 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday until 9:30 PM. Shipping is offered too.

Beyond Westford, the shop serves Chelmsford, Acton, Littleton, Lowell and several other towns, and the delivery areas page lists them all. The shop's Google rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 339 reviews.