Types of Alcohol & Liquor Names

Types of alcohol: an overview

There are several main categories of types of alcohol. Base liquors and liqueurs are distilled spirits, and wine and beer are distilled spirits or fermented alcohol. In each section, we’ll share the liquor names, popular brands, and examples of the top cocktails made with each alcohol. Types of alcohol include:

• Base liquors (gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, rum, brandy)
• Liqueurs (amaretto, Kahlua, Campari, Baileys, and more)
• Wines and fortified wines (vermouth, sherry, marsala)
• Beer

6 base liquor names

A liquor is a distilled alcoholic drink, also called a spirit. This category includes 6 base liquors: gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, rum, and brandy. It also includes liqueurs, distilled spirits that are flavored with sugar, fruits, herbs, or spices. Liqueurs are generally lower proof alcohol. Here’s more about these 6 base types of alcohol:

Gin

Gin is a distilled liquor that gets its flavor from juniper berries.

• Popular brand names: Tanqueray Gin, London Dry Gin, Old Tom Gin
• Top cocktails: Gin Fizz, Gin and Tonic, Tom Collins, and Best Gin Cocktails

Vodka

Vodka is a clear distilled liquor from Europe with a neutral flavor.

• Popular brand names: Tito’s Vodka, Skyy Vodka, Absolut Vodka
• Top cocktails: Moscow Mule, Bloody Mary, Cosmo, Espresso Martini, and Best Vodka Cocktails

Whiskey

Whiskey is a distilled liquor made from grain mash. There are many types of whiskey from different regions. Popular styles are Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, Scotch Whisky, Canadian Whisky, Japanese Whisky, Tennessee Whiskey and Irish Whiskey. There are also flavored whiskies, like Peanut Butter Whiskey and Fireball Whisky.

• Info: Types of Whiskey, Rye Whiskey Guide, Irish Whiskey Guide, Bourbon vs Whiskey, Scotch vs Whiskey, Fireball Whisky Guide, and Peanut Butter Whiskey Guide
• Popular brand names: Maker’s Mark (Bourbon), Woodford Reserve (Bourbon), Jameson (Irish Whiskey), Crown Royal (Canadian Whisky), Jack Daniels (Tennessee Whiskey), Skrewball (Peanut Butter Whiskey)
• Top cocktails: Whiskey Sour, Old Fashioned, and Best Whiskey Cocktails
• See also: Top Whiskey Cocktails, Bourbon Cocktails, Rye Whiskey Cocktails, Irish Whiskey Cocktails, Scotch Cocktails, Crown Royal Cocktails, Fireball Drinks, and Peanut Butter Whiskey Cocktails

Tequila

Tequila is a Mexican distilled spirit made from a specific type of agave: the blue agave plant, or agave tequiliana. Mezcal is the category of spirit made from any variety of agave, so tequila is a type of mezcal. Styles of tequila include blanco, reposado, and añejo.

• Info: Types of Tequila: Blanco vs Reposado vs Añejo, Mezcal vs Tequila
• Popular brand names: Patrón Silver Tequila, Jose Cuervo Tequila
• Top cocktails: Margarita, Paloma and Best Tequila Cocktails
• See also: Top Mezcal Cocktails

Rum

Rum is a distilled liquor made from sugarcane molasses or juice. Styles of rum include white rum, golden rum, dark rum, and aged rum. Cachaça (used in the popular Caiprinha) is considered a type of Brazilian rum. Coconut rum is considered a coconut liqueur, because of the added sugar and low alcohol level.

• Popular brand names: Bacardi Rum, Capitan Morgan Rum, Goslings Black Seal Rum, Malibu Coconut Rum (considered a coconut liqueur)
• Top cocktails: Mojito, Daiquiri, Best Rum Cocktails, Dark Rum Cocktails, or White Rum Cocktails

Brandy

Brandy is a liquor made from distilling wine or other fruit, like apples or apricot. Popular styles include Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, Spanish Brandy (Brandy de Jerez), American Brandy, and Pisco.

• Popular brand names: Hennessy Cognac, Rémy Martin Cognac
• Top cocktails: Sidecar, Brandy Alexander, 10 Cognac Cocktails or 15 Best Brandy Cocktails

Other Distilled Spirits

Aquavit is a Scandinavian distilled spirit, similar to vodka or gin. Go to Quick Guide to Aquavit.

Liqueur Names

Liqueurs are type of alcohol made by mixing a distilled spirit with plant materials. The official US definition of a liqueur is that alcohol must be mixed with plant products and sweeteners to at least 2.5% by weight. Here are some liquor names of popular liqueurs:

Absinthe

Absinthe is a green anise-flavored spirit made from distilling alcohol with botanicals like wormwood, anise, fennel and other herbs. Go to Quick Guide to Absinthe and Top Absinthe Cocktails.

Amaretto

Amaretto is an Italian almond-flavored liqueur invented in 1851. Go to Quick Guide to Amaretto and Top Amaretto Cocktails.

Amaro

Amaro or amari is a family of Italian herbal liqueurs that taste bitter (amaro means bitter in Italian). Popular types of amari include: Averna, Nonino, Montenegro, Cynar, Fernet Branca, Campari, and Aperol. Go to Best Amaro Cocktails.

Benedictine 

Benedictine is an herbal liqueur made in France with 27 different herbs, flowers, berries and spices. See Vieux Carre or Singapore Sling.

Cappelletti

Cappelletti is an Italian red bitter with a sweet flavor, like an easier-to-drink version of Campari. See Quick Guide to Cappelletti.

Campari

Campari is a popular bright red Italian amaro invented in the 1860’s with a very bitter flavor. See Quick Guide to Campari and Best Campari Cocktails.

Chambord 

Chambord is a black raspberry liqueur made in France. Despite the historic looking bottle, the brand started in the 1980’s. See Quick Guide to Chambord.

Chartreuse 

Chartreuse is a French herbal liqueur that’s been made by monks since 1737 with a blend of 130 plants. See Quick Guide to Chartreuse and Top Chartreuse Cocktails.

Drambuie 

Drambuie is a liqueur made from Scotch that tastes sweet, with flavors of honey, spices and herbs. See Rusty Nail.

Jagermeister

Jägermeister is a German digestif liqueur made with 56 different herbs and botanicals, invented in 1934. It’s thick and syrupy, with strong anise notes on the finish. See Quick Guide to Jagermeister.

Galliano

Galliano L’Autentico is a bright yellow, sweet herbal Italian liqueur. See Quick Guide to Galliano & Top Cocktails.

Hpnotiq

Hpnotiq (pronounced “Hypnotic”) is a sky blue liqueur flavored with passionfruit and mango, invented in 2001. See Quick Guide to Hpnotiq and Hpnotiq Drinks.

Irish Cream (Baileys)

Irish Cream is a liqueur made with Irish whiskey, cream, and cocoa. The top brand is Baileys Irish Cream. See Quick Guide to Baileys Irish Cream and Irish Cream Cocktails.

Licor 43 

Licor 43 is a bright yellow, vanilla flavored Spanish liqueur was invented in 1946. See Quick Guide to Licor 43 and Licor 43 Cocktails.

Limoncello 

Limoncello is a popular Italian lemon liqueur with a strong lemon flavor. See Quick Guide to Limoncello.

Maraschino Liqueur

Maraschino liqueur is a clear, cherry-flavored liqueur used in many classic cocktails. See Guide to Maraschino Liqueur and Maraschino Cocktails.

Midori

Midori is a green, honeydew melon-flavored Japanese liqueur released in the 1970’s. See Quick Guide to Midori and Top Midori Cocktails.

Pastis or Pernod

Pastis and Pernod are French anise-flavored liqueurs invented after absinthe was banned in France in 1915. See Quick Guide to Pernod and Pastis Drink.

Pimm’s

Pimm’s No. 1 is a flavored gin-based liqueur made with fruit and herbs and caramel red in color. See Pimm’s Cup.

Schnapps

Schnapps is a distilled spirit made by fermenting fruit juices along with the base liquor. There are dozens of types including the popular peppermint schnapps, cinnamon schnapps, and peach schnapps. See Peach Schnapps Drinks and Peppermint Schnapps.

St Germain

St Germain is a liqueur released in 2007 made with elderflowers, the small white flowers of an elderberry plant. See Quick Guide to St Germain and St Germain Cocktails.

Suze 

Suze is a French bitter aperitif made from the gentian root, released in 1889. See White Negroni.

Brewed Types of Alcohol: Wine, Beer and Sake

Wine and beer are types of brewed alcohol, not distilled spirits like base liquor and liqueurs. Here are some common types of each:

Wine

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made with fermented grape juice. It’s consumed all over the world, both straight and mixed into drinks. See 15 Best Wine Cocktails and 13 Easy Champagne Cocktails. The main types of wine are:

• Red wine
• White wine
• Rosé wine
• Sparkling wine like Champagne (French), Prosecco (Italian), and Cava (Spanish)
• Fortified wine (see below)

Fortified Wine

Fortified wine is a type of alcohol that adds a distilled spirit (usually brandy) to a wine to stabilize it. Aromatized wine is a type of fortified wine that has added natural flavors like fruits, herbs and other botanicals. Some fortified wines are drunk straight or used in cooking. Vermouth is the most popular fortified wine used in cocktails. Some fortified wines are very sweet and also known as dessert wines.

Lillet or Cocchi Americano

Lillet is a French aperitif: an aromatized wine that’s flavored with herbs and citrus. There are are several types of Lillet made of different wines: Lillet Blanc, Lillet Rosé and Lillet Rouge. Cocchi Americano is a similar aperitif that’s Italian, with a sweeter flavor as it’s made from Moscato wine. See Quick Guide to Lillet Blanc or Quick Guide to Cocchi Americano.

Madeira is a fortified wine made in Portugal with styles ranging from dry to sweet. Marsala is a fortified wine made in Sicily, and also has style ranging from dry to sweet. Both work as an aperitif (before dinner) or digestif (after dinner), or in cooking.

Port is a sweet fortified wine from Portugal, usually served as a dessert wine. See White Port and Tonic.

Sherry

Sherry is a fortified wine made in Spain: it’s made by adding grape liquor to white wine. The flavor is sharp, with a scent of apple cider and a very dry finish.

Vermouth

Vermouth is a liquor, but it’s a fortified wine, not a distilled spirit. It’s used as a supporting character in many popular cocktails. Styles include dry, sweet, semi-dry, and semi-sweet. See Negroni, Manhattan. and Top Vermouth Cocktails.

Beer is an alcoholic beverage made from fermenting cereal grains, most commonly barley. It’s consumed all over the world, both straight and in cocktails. See Top Beer Cocktails. Beers generally fall into two brewing methods, lager beer and ale.  Within each class there are different styles varying by color, bitterness/sweetness, density, and alcoholic content.  Below are some of the most common styles:

• Ales:  Blonde Ale, Brown Ale, Pale Ale, and India Pale Ale (IPA), Sour Ale, Porter, Stout
• Lager:  American Lager, Lite Lager, Pilsner, Wheat Beer, Amber, Dark

Sake

Sake (pronounced sah-kay) is a Japanese fermented rice liquor, sometimes called rice wine. It has a smooth flavor with a dry finish, like dry white wine or dry vermouth. See Sake Southside Cocktail.

Other Fermented Beverages

• Mead is a fermented alcoholic beverage made with honey, water, and yeast.
• Hard cider is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from the juice of apples.