We Asked 10 Bartenders: What’s the One Flavored Liqueur You Actually Respect in Cocktails?

Pity the flavored liqueur. Infused with various fruits and nuts and enhanced with sugars, these low-ABV bottles of alcohol tend to be easy back bar targets to mock based on somewhat stereotypical perceptions. They’re too sweet. They have funky colors. They taste a little too artificial. The viewpoint saddles flavored liqueurs with a reputation for being cheap and not “serious” like traditional spirits such as bourbon or rye.

But this assessment is often unfair. First off, flavored liqueurs are essential to any cocktail program wishing to make more than highballs or spirit-forward three-ingredient builds. Second, taste is relative — a liqueur that comes across as too sweet for one person may hit the sweet spot for another. For drinkers and industry pros alike, some bottles transcend the label of this oft-maligned category, earning their respect. But which bottles deserve a chance on your home bar? To find out, we asked 10 bartenders to name the flavored liqueur they appreciate in a mixed drink. Here’s what they had to say.

The flavored liqueurs that deserve respect, according to bartenders:

Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyaux
Midori
UME Plum Liqueur
Rumple Minze
Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao
Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur
Yoshi Matcha
Cathead Honeysuckle
Malört

“Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyaux. If it’s in a cocktail, I don’t care what else you’ve used. I will order it. I absolutely love it.” —Seth Gibbs, beverage director, The Rogers Garden, Brooklyn

“Midori! my love of the Japanese musk melon flavor goes back years to long before I could drink, when I had it in the form of those little candies. It’s really a dynamic bottle that honestly plays very well with a lot of other spirits and modifiers and lends every drink its trademark emerald color it is named after (緑, or, Midori literally means green in Japanese). Our house shot at Almanac is a 50/50 mix of our dark rum blend and Midori, and it is like the perfect ester-and-melon little treat. I have also said that my goal is to one day have Suntory acknowledge me as a real ambassador, and maybe it’ll happen yet.” —Rob Scott, beverage director, Almanac, Philadelphia

“Plum liqueurs are newer to the U.S., but have been around in Japanese and European cultures for a long time. In Japan, the flavorful spirit is called Umeshu. In the U.S., we have a unique plum liqueur called UME. The name is meant to represent U + ME, or ‘us’ getting together to have a few cocktails with friends. Made from ume plum, cherry, grape, green apple, and lemon, it has a beautiful purple hue, creating a strong visual appeal in cocktails. I like using it because it gives a subtle sweetness, but it balances out cocktails with tart, bright and acidic notes as well. It also has a nice, dry finish. It is a unique flavor profile, and it adds depth to fruity drinks.” —Sarah Clark, assistant general manager, The Dearborn, Chicago

“Rumple Minze is one of those high-proof liqueurs that brings a smile to my face. With its intensity in both flavor and proof, I will happily imbibe in a shot of this over another high-proof spirit. It particularly hits well in a frozen drink, or when pulled from a freezer and poured into a chill glass to shoot.” —Michael Aredes, founder, Noche Traviesa/bartender, Deux Chats, Brooklyn

“Tempus Fugit Spirits Crème de Cacao. This has been a staple ingredient on all my bars even if it’s just one bottle to keep around and indulge in all the fantastic cacao and vanilla that unapologetically comes forward. The cacao is sourced from Venezuela and the vanilla from Mexico so you really get the best of both worlds. Add a little to your Old Fashioned and thank me later.” —Julian Flores Torres, bar manager, Kalbi Social Club and Robata Wasa, Irvine, Calif.

“I’ve been in a bit of a Midori renaissance for the last couple years. It gets a lot of flack for being outdated or too sweet, but it can be really great when used in a well-balanced cocktail. The melon flavor also feels so nostalgic, and no one can deny how fun it is to receive a drink that emanates an ectoplasm green glow.” —Carly Lacoste, bartender, Plates, New Orleans

“One flavored liqueur I really respect is Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur. Being based in the Caribbean, we naturally gravitate toward bright, tropical flavors; Chinola captures that beautifully with a true, vibrant expression of real passion fruit, which sets it apart from other brands using artificial ingredients. It’s something I find myself reaching for often because of how versatile it is behind the bar. It brings both acidity and aroma, so it can act almost like a fresh ingredient while still delivering that refreshing quality. It works just as well in tropical builds as it does adding lift to more spirit-forward cocktails.” —Niko Imbert, head bartender and senior vice president of hospitality, Bon Vivants, Nassau, Bahamas

“The Yoshi Matcha is a pretty new product to the market and seems to be rising fast. It uses ceremonial-grade matcha from Japan and oat milk as its base, making it dairy-free. Since matcha is a finely ground powder, it isn’t truly soluble, which can make it difficult to achieve a completely smooth texture without a chalky feel. Using Yoshi provides the bright flavors and color of matcha, with a nice creamy texture from the oat milk. We use it in our matcha Martini, along with some vanilla and vodka, to create a slightly sweet and bright cocktail!” —Dylan Dinsmore, beverage director, FINO, Denver

“Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka functions like a flavored liqueur, and it is one of those bottles that quietly does so much work when you let it. It brings a soft, floral sweetness that feels like Southern summer without turning your drink into perfume. It’s versatile, a little nostalgic, and way more underrated than people give it credit for.” —Carlitos Fernandez, bar owner, Unknown Caller, Chattanooga, Tenn.

“Malört. I know people say it’s gross, but it does have a flavor profile that can be versatile in cocktails. Using the bitterness and grapefruit-forward flavors, you can find some balance with those flavors for more interesting cocktails. Any good bartender can take on a challenge like that!” —Jessie Blancas, bartender, Petterino’s, Chicago

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