The after-dinner shelf / Cordials & liqueurs

A little pour.
A world of flavour.

Citrus peel, orchard fruit, roasted nuts, cream and herbs. Six families of liqueurs to explore slowly, with room for a favourite beside the coffee.

Explore the six families

Fruit, spirit & sweetness

The liqueur cabinet.

Here, “cordials” means alcoholic liqueurs: flavoured, sweetened spirits. The word can also describe non-alcoholic drinks elsewhere.

01 France, Italy & beyond

Citrus Liqueurs

Orange, lemon and grapefruit expressed through aromatic peel, spirit and sweetness.

  • Citrus peel
  • Orange blossom
  • Sweet spice
Read the guide

02 Europe & worldwide

Fruit Liqueurs

Berries, cherries and orchard fruit, captured in sweetened spirits for the glass or the table.

  • Berry fruit
  • Stone fruit
  • Jam
Read the guide

03 Italy & beyond

Amaretto & Nut Liqueurs

Almond-like fragrance, toasted nuts and pastry notes in a generous after-dinner family.

  • Almond-like aroma
  • Toasted nuts
  • Vanilla
Read the guide

05 Ireland & worldwide

Cream Liqueurs

A soft, dessert-like texture with spirit, cream and flavours such as cocoa, coffee or vanilla.

  • Cream
  • Cocoa
  • Vanilla
Read the guide

06 France, Italy & beyond

Herbal Liqueurs & Amaro

Herbs, roots, peel and spice, spanning fragrant sweetness and a deliberately bitter finish.

  • Herbs
  • Citrus peel
  • Spice
Read the guide

Ingredients, strength and sweetness vary by bottle. These are style introductions; the individual guides link to producer examples and further reading. WSET’s guide to spirits and liqueur styles ↗

Choose a direction

What sounds like your kind of finish?

Rich & dessert-likeCompare nuts, coffee/chocolate and cream.Bright & aromaticCompare citrus, fruit and herbal styles.

Prefer sweetness from the wine cellar? Begin with Vidal Icewine or Tokaji Aszú in our dessert-wine collection.