Nothing says ‘Christmas’ quite like sinking into a cream liqueur. At least, here at ES Best we certainly don’t think so.
From Advocaat to Baileys, the festive season is all about cracking open these creamy bottles for boozy celebrations, whether straight-up over ice or mixed into a lick-the-glass-clean cocktail.
Right now, there’s more choice than ever, with classic brands coming up with twists on cult favourites and hot newcomers devising spins on creamy formulas. Think whisky, rum and limoncello liqueur, all ready to give naughty drinks a nice twist.
Dawn Davies MW, head buyer at The Whisky Exchange, explains the festive micro-trend: “In times of hardship, people go back to things that remind them of their childhood.
Nostalgia is always big at this time of year, but especially in this current climate. People love that little indulgence over Christmas that cream liqueurs bring, especially with something like a Christmas pudding. I think these kinds of drinks are coming back in fashion because people are always looking to discover new flavours. And sometimes, what's new to you is something from times gone by.”
So, rather than reach for an old bottle at the back of the booze cabinet that’s been collecting dust since last Christmas (or longer), why not serve something deliciously different this year?
As it's the season of goodwill, we've taken it upon ourselves to find you the very best cream liqueurs to roll out and serve friends and family for Christmas 2023 – although you might want to hide them from your nan.
Shop the selection below
Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
A classic at Christmas, Baileys is the famous Irish cream liqueur that’s flavoured with Irish cream, cocoa and Irish whiskey, while a light version comes with 40 per cent less calories (meaning you can have double the fun, surely?). A silky treat best served with ice in a short glass as a digestif or over a dollop of ice-cream for a spiked dessert.
Buy now £10.00, Asda
Disaronno Velvet Liqueur
While everyone knows Disaronno – the famous Italian liqueur – you might not have tried Disaronno Velvet. It’s a sophisticated cream liqueur that blends the floral character of almonds with notes of chocolate and vanilla that’s absolutely sublime over ice. The white bottle is ice-cool, too.
Buy now £16.50, Tesco
Warninks Original Advocaat
Deliciously retro, Warninks Advocaat is the star ingredient in a snowball cocktail – beloved by grans everywhere – and is enjoying something of a revival amongst a younger generation. Rich in flavour with a velvety texture and a bright yellow colour, it can be whizzed into its famous serve or levelled up by swapping the lemonade for prosecco.
Buy now £15.00, Tesco
Limoncello di Capri Crema
For something a bit different this season, Italian spirits producer Molinari has come up with Limoncello di Capri Crema, a smooth cream liqueur that combines the tartness of lemons with the texture of cream. Made on the Amalfi Coast – where else? – it’s a zesty and sweet digestif that puts a winter spin on the summer favourite. Saluti!
Buy now £16.99, Amazon
Cotswolds Cream Liqueur
An indulgent blend of fresh cream and single malt – incidentally, the same award-winning spirit this British maker uses to produce its whisky – Cotswolds Cream Liqueur is wonderfully rich and silky with notes of vanilla and butterscotch. Perfect for curling up after dinner beside a roaring fire.
Buy now £23.50, Master of Malt
Asda Extra Special Espresso Martini Chocolate Flavour Cream Liqueur
New on the shelves of the supermarket this year is ASDA Extra Special Espresso Martini Chocolate Flavour Cream Liqueur. Really, what’s not to love?
It combines South American Arabica coffee with triple-distilled vodka, cream, cocoa bean extract and sugar syrup. Enough said.
Buy now £8.00, Asda
Black Lines Oatnog
Creamy, thick and oh-so indulgent, Oatnog boasts winter spice and buttery rum flavours with a rich and velvety finish. It’s like eggnog, only better.
Plus, for every bottle bought, the maker will provide three free meals to Londoners via The Felix Project, an essential organisation fighting food waste and hunger in the capital.
Buy now £20.00, Origin Coffee
Panettone Liqueur
This bottles the quintessential flavours of everyone’s favourite Italian festive cake by combining a liqueur infused with oranges and sultanas with a dash of caramel and a splash of oat-based cream. As you’d expect from the world-famous department store, the bottle is beautifully wrapped, too – making this a conversation starter on any festive table.
Buy now £19.99, Selfridges
Bottega Spa Crema di Limoncino Liqueur
Ever fancied sipping on liquid panna cotta? Now’s your chance with this lemon cream liqueur combining zesty Sicilian lemon peels with the soft texture of thick cream and a splash of aromatic grappa. We recommend serving it in lieu of pudding at the end of a meal. Because, why not?
Buy now £19.00, Harvey Nichols
Dead Man’s Fingers Blue Raspberry Tequila Cream Liqueur
Invented at the Rum & Crab Shack in St Ives, Cornwall, Dead Man’s Fingers has been enjoying a roaring trade with its strawberry tequila cream liqueur amongst the most raucous party-starters, and now it’s just released a blue raspberry iteration. Smooth and velvety with aromas of its namesake fruit. We’re in.
Buy now £10.00, Morrisons
Mozart Gold Chocolate Cream Liqueur
Hailing from Salzburg, Austria, Mozart Gold Chocolate Cream Liqueur brings together dark Belgian chocolate, Bourbon vanilla, cream, sugar and a spirit made from sugar beets.
But the best bit? It’s bottled like an oversized chocolate a certain ambassador might spoil you with…
Buy now £17.90, Master of Malt
RumJava Espresso Rum Cream Liqueur
You’ll need to be quick to snap up a bottle of this limited-edition liqueur. Rum and Java’Mon coffee beans come together (hence its name) with cream, vanilla, chocolate and hazelnuts to create something that immediately transports you to Christmas in the Caribbean. They have trouble keeping it in stock, so act while you can.
Buy now £27.25, Master of Malt
Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur
Lidl’s take on Baileys is made with fresh Irish cream, fine spirits and Irish whiskey to offer a truly luxurious Irish liqueur. Thick, boozy and full of toffee flavours. Try it over scoops of ice cream for an extra hit of indulgence.
Buy now £11.99, Lidl
Micil Cream Liqueur
Complex yet delicious with hints of honey, spice, milk chocolate, fruit and coffee make this cream liqueur – from the Micil Distillery in Galway, Ireland – a Christmas cracker. It’s all-Irish, too, including the cream, the whiskey and the Connemara poitín (malted barley and a botanical local to the region).
Buy now £28.00, Craft Gin Club
Amarula Original Cream Liqueur
Amarula Cream Liqueur is made from the exotic fruit of the Marula tree – grown in Africa – and features a velvety-smooth palate and fresh, creamy flavours. Pour over ice for a digestif with a difference.
Buy now £12.49, Tesco
Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream
Kentucky bourbon and smooth cream go together like a horse and carriage in this boozy liqueur from the US of A. Rich and sweet, the bourbon complements the vanilla flavour of the cream perfectly, while it’s deliciously versatile – in a cocktail, over ice or in your coffee.
Buy now £17.90, Drink Supermarket
Gonzalez Byass Solera 1847 Sherry
Whether as an aperitif, dessert wine or digestif, versatile Solera 1847 is a delightful cream made from Palomino grapes blended with Pedro Ximènez sherry. Expect a velvety-soft texture with flavours of raisins, vanilla, oak, hazelnuts and toffee. Perfect as an accompaniment to Christmas pud.
Buy now £17.25, The Whisky Exchange
Ballycastle Tiramisu Flavour Cream
A boozy take on the iconic Italian dessert, Ballycastle Tiramisu Flavour Cream pairs velvety chocolate, rich coffee, sponge fingers and Irish cream to create a drinkable dessert we didn’t know we needed - until now.
Buy now £7.79, Aldi
Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream Liqueur
While plenty of dupes are being served in bars up and down the country, Tequila Rose remains the OG pink drink, and is now available in a supersized bottle just in time for Christmas shenanigans.
A smooth strawberry cream liqueur is combined with fiery tequila for an Instagrammable sip that’s great in a shot, over ice or in a cocktail.
Better still, the roses on the label turn pink when it’s cold enough to drink. Clever, right?
Buy now £22.50, Amazon
Ad Gefrin Flýte Whisky Cream Liqueur
Just-launched, Northumberland-based distillery Ad Gefrin is serving up a new cream liqueur made from its Tácnbora whisky in the smooth and sophisticated form of Flýte, bursting with aromas of vanilla and notes of cacao, toffee and salted caramel. The essence of Yuletide.
Buy now £21.00, Ad Gefrin
El Dorado Cream Liqueur
A selection of Demerara aged rums is blended with full-dairy cream and a combination of natural flavours and spices to produce El Dorado Cream Liqueur: available to pre-order directly from the producer now and shoppable via other retailers from December 16. Mix into a coffee for a festive pick-me-up.
Buy now £18.00, Back to Mine
