Kahlua, Baileys or Cointreau?

heads to the market to find out which liqueur he should pour out for himself after a nice, refined meal

The potential for liqueurs here is immense as they appeal to people across all age groups." With this sentence, Claude de Jouvencel, COO, Grand Marnier, makes his point about the market for liqueurs in India.

Grand Marnier, which is being marketed by Moet and Hennessey in India, is made from bitter orange peels which are then added to cognac. Grand Marnier's Gordon Rouge, which is available in India, is priced at Rs 2,100 for a 700ml bottle in Delhi, while in Mumbai it is priced at Rs 2,535.

Typically served in small quantities after dinner, liqueurs are making their entry into the country and finding favour with an increasing number of patrons. The wide array includes Diageo's Baileys Irish Cream, Cointreau, Drambuie, Creme Liquors and Grand Marnier, besides others.

Most of the liqueurs available are sweet-flavoured drinks based on brandy, whisky, rum, vodka or cognac. Depending on their content, various nuts, fruits, spices and herbs are added to these. Some people might not appreciate liqueurs, especially as the alcoholic content can vary quite a lot.

Alcohol content in liqueurs is not a distinctive feature and at 15-30 per cent, most liqueurs have a lower alcohol content than spirits, but some liqueurs have an alcohol content as high as 55 per cent.

So which one tops the liqueur list in India? It's Irish cream all the way and still a favourite liqueur for people because of its taste and flavour. Marketed by Diageo in India, Baileys is made from a mix of cream, sugar, cocoa and then whisky is added to it.

It can be consumed alone, over ice or as a part of a cocktail. It is also used as an addition to coffee in lieu of cream or sugar. A bottle of 750 ml of Baileys costs around Rs 2,100. Baileys is probably one of the few liqueurs to which no preservatives are added as the whisky alone is enough to preserve the cream.

Apart from Irish cream, there are two other variants of Baileys liqueur which are available "" the mint chocolate and creme caramel variants of Irish cream. Cointreau is another sought after liqueur. Made with a combination of bitter orange peels, sweet oranges and a variety of ingredients, it is one of the premium liqueurs available in India and a one litre bottle of Cointreau costs around Rs 2,400.

Apart from Baileys and Cointreau, Kahlua is another liqueur which people prefer for its unique taste. Kahlua is a rich, dark brown coffee liqueur made from Mexican coffee and a dash of vanilla. It's a vodka-based liqueur and has a thicker body than most other alcoholic beverages.

Kahlua shots are quite popular among the young drinkers as the taste of coffee mixed with vodka is appreciated by most in this age group. Says Santosh Kanekar, director-marketing, Diageo India, "Liqueurs are slowly but steadily gaining prominence in the Indian consumers' priority. More people have started drinking them, especially as more awareness is being created about them."

And here are some tips to enjoy your liqueur. You could pour your favourite liqueur over ice, serve it with coffee, mix it with cream or other cocktails, and use it while cooking too. And while liqueurs like Kahlua are consumed as shots, Malibu, for instance, one of the lower-priced liqueurs with Caribbean white rum with coconut extracts, can be consumed neat, over ice and with fruit juice.

Vodka- and rum-based drinks are popular too. Drambuie is one of the few liqueurs that is based on single malt whisky. It is a scotch whisky liqueur which is honey flavoured and is made from secret blend of herbs and spices, added with aged single malt whisky.

Drambuie can be had served on ice or used as an ingredient in a cocktail. Drambuie, which is not available everywhere, is retailed at a price point of Rs 2,200.

Chocolate creme liqueur is also one of the favourites around. Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Creme Liqueur is made of Dutch chocolate, creme and vodka. It can be drunk with ice (on the rocks) or mixed as a martini cocktail. A bottle of this liqueur would cost around Rs 3,000.

As Jouvencel puts it, "It's about discovering the liqueur and how it goes down after a nice meal." I don't know how liqueurs will go down after a few Patiala pegs and tandoori chicken, but if you are looking for smooth drinks which can be had after a nice meal, then maybe you could settle for a liqueur instead.