What does a Kir Royale taste like?
A Kir Royale tastes like dry Champagne with a splash of blackcurrant: crisp, toasty bubbles softened by dark berry sweetness and a pretty pink-purple color.
Kir Royale
champagne with dark berries
This one is just Champagne with a little crème de cassis, a sweet blackcurrant liqueur from France. Blackcurrant tastes like a darker, tarter blackberry, a bit jammy and a bit wild. A small pour of it softens the Champagne's sharp, toasty dryness and gives every sip a berry sweetness. Too much and it turns into a sugary berry soda, so a good one is mostly wine. It drinks like a fancier glass of bubbly, and it's simple enough that bars rarely get it wrong.
Where you’ll see it
On French bistro menus, wine bars and holiday cocktail lists, served in a flute. A plain Kir is the same idea made with still white wine instead of Champagne, and cheaper versions use any sparkling wine.
Order it if you want a glass of bubbly that's a little sweeter, fruitier and more dressed up.
Quick questions
- What's the difference between a Kir and a Kir Royale?
- A Kir is crème de cassis with still white wine, traditionally a dry Burgundy white. A Kir Royale swaps in Champagne, so it is fizzy.
- What is crème de cassis?
- A sweet French liqueur made from blackcurrants, usually around 15% to 20% alcohol. There's no cream in it; the crème just means it is sweet and syrupy.