A few months back I discussed the Kir Royale as a great New Year’s cocktail. And while it definitely is that, I think it’s a great candidate for a brunch tipple as well. The classic Kir Royale is a combo of 1/2 oz of creme de cassis and 5 oz of champagne. While it’s a simple mix the flavors are fresh, bright and lightly complex.
But, let’s take a slightly deeper look at this combo. It really breaks down to champagne with a fruit liqueur. Well, there are lots of fruit liqueurs (and some non-fruit ones too) that you could sub in this that will change up the flavor profile completely. Here are some suggestions to get you rolling.
- Peach
- Cherry
- Ginger (Domaine Canton)
- Elderflower (St. Germain)
- Pear
- Blackberry
I could continue on, but I think you get the idea. I sampled the St. Germaine option and really enjoyed it. It’s a definitely departure from the classic Kir Royale, but it’s very tasty in its own way. The flowery flavor comes through gently and in harmony with the flavors of the sparkling wine. Definitely worth a sample.
So there you have it, a simple cocktail with an easy twist.
Comments
One response to “Kir Royale – Flashback”
St. Germain and champagne has a name: La Rosette. Although I think maybe that was just recently invented for marketing by St. Germain.
You might also want to look at the Champagne Cocktail: put a sugar cube in a champagne glass, put a couple dashes of Angostura bitters on it, and top with champagne. Garnish is a lemon twist.