What Is Crème De Cassis And Do You Use It In Mixed Drinks?

Made by soaking blackcurrants in alcohol and then adding sugar to create a deep red or purple-colored liqueur, crème de cassis dates back to the 1840s. To find out how it can be used in a variety of mixed drinks or cocktails, Food Republic asked Molly Horn, Chief Mixologist and Spirits Educator at Total Wine & More, to share some expert advice and tips.

The fruity French liqueur is a key ingredient in a classic Kir, where it's mixed with dry white wine, or a Kir Royale, which swaps the wine for Champagne or sparkling wine. Its smooth, creamy consistency and sweet-sharp flavor make it a versatile addition to all sorts of other drinks, too.

"Because of crème de cassis' tart, sweet, slightly tannic dark berry flavor, it is an excellent cocktail modifier — a spirit that acts as a complement to the base spirit and other additional ingredients (such as sweetener, sour agent, and/or bitter agent) by adding flavor, depth, and complexity to a cocktail," explained Horn. "And also because it hits so many layers of taste, from bitter to sweet to fruity, it can even replace some of them." This ability to stand in for other flavors is why the liqueur "works so well in, say, a Kir Royale, which in a way is a super simple French 75 with a blackcurrant kick that doesn't require gin, lemon, or simple syrup to find balance," said Horn.

Mixologist Molly Horn's favorite crème de cassis cocktail is the El Diablo, which combines the liqueur with tequila, lime juice, and homemade ginger ale or ginger beer. "It's super well balanced despite or perhaps because of the surprising combination of ingredients," she explained. Swap the tequila for mezcal to give it a smoky, Mexican-style vibe.

If you're a fan of revamping classic cocktails, you could try replacing a portion of the vodka with crème de cassis when making an espresso martini, or adding a dash to a Manhattan along with the usual whiskey and sweet vermouth. The liqueur can also "play a great role as a modifier in an Old Fashioned as a substitute for sugar," Horn suggested. If you want to try this yourself, though, the pro's advice is to "up the ratio a little since it also brings tartness and isn't as sweet as straight sugar."

The balanced, grown-up sweetness of crème de cassis also works well when combined with dry cider, stout beer such as Guinness, or a rye saison ale for a refreshing long drink. And if you really want to get the most out of your bottle, try using it in the kitchen as well as in drinks. Add a little to the batter or glaze when baking cakes or muffins, or simply swirl it into some rich vanilla ice cream.