Winter may be rolling in with cosy evenings and a familiar urge to curl up at home, but your cocktails don’t have to hibernate. In fact, this is the best time of year to shake up your bar cart with spirits that taste like pure sunshine, with bits of fruity goodness. Think syrupy stonefruits, bright citrus, juicy berries—the kind of flavours that instantly teleport you to a beach bar in Bali or a vineyard in Sicily, even while you’re sitting in your living room, wrapped in a blanket.
There’s something undeniably joyful about fruity liqueurs in the colder months. They cut through the heaviness of winter drinking, add a playfulness to otherwise boozy classics, and pair beautifully with everything the season offers: Christmas brunches, New Year’s parties, and trips to the hills. Whether you like your drinks zingy, floral, tart, tropical, syrupy, or desert-level sweet, fruity spirits bring a burst of colour and character that warm whisky simply can’t match.
This winter, we’re leaning into flavour. Lush peaches, bold cherries, fragrant oranges, plump berries, and all the juicy goodness in between. These liqueurs aren’t just mixers; they’re mood-lifters, palate refreshers, and—let’s be honest—worth an IG story or two. Here are the most delicious stonefruit, berry, and citrus liqueurs that you must get your hands on.
Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin
Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin is basically what would happen if a desert sunset, a fruit basket, and a royal palace decided to collaborate on a gin. While it’s rooted in age-old Indian botanicals, it’s the zesty sweet-orange and lemon peels that instantly brighten it up—giving the spirit this unexpectedly juicy, citrus-forward personality.
Triple-distilled in a copper pot still, this gin uses a neutral grain spirit as its base and is infused with 11 botanicals, seven of which come from all corners of India. The recipe includes sweet orange peel, lemon peel, cubeb berries, lemongrass, coriander, vetiver, and even Darjeeling green tea leaves, weaving together citrus, spice, and earthy herbal tones. On the nose, you get bright lemon, coriander, and anise-like angelica—classic gin notes with an Indian twist. The palate unfolds gently: juniper leads, followed by a blend of citrus peel, spicy cubeb, and a vegetal undertone, thanks to the vetiver. The finish is warm enough to make winter feel slightly less cold.
Whether you splash it into a G&T with a fat orange slice or mix it into a winter spritz with grapefruit and soda, Jaisalmer brings this lively, almost tropical brightness that feels totally unexpected for the season. It is fruity, fragrant, and a little flirty—perfect for your December blues!
Price: INR 4,490
Baileys Strawberries & Cream
This list would be incomplete if I didn’t mention everyone’s fav Baileys, thanks to its range when it comes to flavours that fit all. This one’s everyone’s most-loved winter fruit: strawberries!
Baileys Strawberries & Cream is a dessert poured into a glass. The iconic Irish-cream base—popular for turning cocktails into close-enough milkshake lookalikes—gets a fruity makeover with juicy strawberry flavour, soft vanilla, and whispers of white chocolate. The result? A lush, velvety liqueur that tastes like fresh strawberries folded into whipped cream, with a tinge of bitterness as the cherry on top.
At 17% ABV, it strikes a sweet-spot balance—playful and smooth, but not sickeningly sweet. On the nose, you pick up ripe strawberry and a soft vanilla creaminess, and the palate follows with a silky texture of the Irish whiskey warmth. The aftertaste is akin to the memory of a strawberry milkshake that refuses to leave your lips (and mind).
How to enjoy it? Over ice for a quick, dreamy shot. Drizzled onto ice cream or desserts for my sweet-toothed fiends. Or blended into cocktails—think pink martinis, strawberry daiquiris, or even creamy milkshakes that give barista vibes with a secret boozy kick.
Price: INR 2,690
Short Story Dry Gin
We love some locally produced, fruity goodness, don’t we?
Short Story is a range of spirits produced by Third Eye Distillery in Goa, which includes a classic juniper and citrus-forward, pot-distilled London Dry gin, made with a clean, classic spirit and a carefully balanced botanical mix. Featuring notes of grapefruit, cubeb berries, and lemon peel, this gin is perfectly suited for a classic martini and is an excellent choice for winter cocktail nights, especially for all you Sex On The Beach or Cosmopolitan lovers out there. It’s just the right amount of fruity, combined with the bitterness of a classic gin.
On the palate, it’s surprisingly accessible: the juniper gives a classic gin backbone, but the spirit is softened by citrus twists and a subtle spice that makes it more than just another juniper bomb. You’ll also detect a floral lift, coriander’s gentle herbaceousness, and a clean, slightly peppery finish that plays well in both simple gin & tonics and even more inventive cocktails. This gin even won Gold at the World Gin Awards 2024, cementing its reputation as one of the best London-dry-style gins from all across the world.
Though Short Story is a ‘dry’ gin, the citrus elements (lemon peel, grapefruit) give it a natural, bright fruitiness. It also pairs wonderfully with a splash of elderflower tonic or berry soda for a slightly fruitier, more experimental cocktail.
Price: INR 1,850
Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka
Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka is the elevated citrus spin on Grey Goose’s signature smooth vodka. Distilled from Picardy’s winter wheat, the vodka is infused with the natural essence of over two pounds of fresh oranges in every litre. The aroma is fresh and fruity, with a bright mandarin-like zest and subtle floral notes. On the palate, the taste is that of your next tropical vacation, delivering juicy orange flesh and peel with a clean, crisp character. The finish is warm, refreshing, and citrusy to the T—not overly sweet, and just bitter enough.
At 40% ABV, L’Orange stays true to vodka’s clean profile while still offering that fruity lift we’re in search of, especially in the winter. What’s more, there’s no added sugar; just the bright, zesty oils from real oranges. It works incredibly well in cocktails: try it in a no-nonsense vodka soda (soda + L’Orange), a French Negroni, or even an orangey twist on a Cosmopolitan.
This one’s a spirit that tastes like sunshine, but warms like a winter hug, and it needs to occupy space in your next winter bar rotation!
Price: INR 6,200
Malibu Original
Nothing screams vacation louder than a classic Piña Colada: silky, creamy coconut, juicy, tangy pineapple, and just a hint of bitterness, thanks to the rum. It’s a tropical getaway in a very pretty glass with a tiny umbrella on top. How to have it at home? Two words: the Malibu Original.
This is a rum-based liqueur infused with Caribbean coconut that’s as beachy as a sunset over palm-fringed waves. Originally developed in Barbados, this smooth, light spirit has become a global favourite for its laid-back, carefree vibe and approachable sweetness. It clocks in at 21% ABV, keeping things mellow but still delightfully punchy. On the nose, you’re greeted by soft, fresh coconut notes with a whisper of vanilla and lime. On the first sip, the palate brings creamy coconut milk, caramel undertones, and a gentle sweetness that isn’t cloying. The finish is smooth, warm, and cream-infused, making it feel like a dessert-plus-cocktail that belongs in a hammock.
The Malibu Original is super versatile: mix it with pineapple juice for an instant classic, shake it into a tropical daiquiri with lime, or even swirl it into coffee for a boozy coconut-coffee hybrid. For something wintery, you can play around with your options—the world is really your oyster. Try it with ginger beer and a splash of citrus for a Coconut Mule, or add it to a hot chocolate for a rather coconuty, creamy, and boozy twist.
Price: INR 2,390
Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
If the name isn’t enough of a hint already, this raspberry-flavoured liqueur is everything your fruity dreams are made of, bringing the taste of French decadence to you, wrapped up in a stunning orb-shaped bottle. If “winter romance in a glass” were a drink, it would hands-down be this one.
Made in France’s Loire Valley, Chambord is essentially what happens when raspberries, blackberries, vanilla, citrus peel, a hint of spice, and a splash of Cognac decide to throw a deluxe house party, to which you’re invited. One sip and it’s a berry fantasy: think raspberry jam melting into warm vanilla, with a tiny zing of citrus that keeps things bright instead of syrupy. It is sweet, cosy, and luxurious—thanks to the chocolate truffle, stewed prunes, and a gentle raisin-like sweetness, all softened by the dessert-like warmth of Cognac and vanilla.
With an ABV of 16.5%, Chambord finds itself sitting comfortably between a liqueur and a spirit—sweet enough to sip on its own, but refined enough to elevate other cocktails. It’s a classic in recipes like the French martini, black raspberry royale, or a decadent bramble, and it also works beautifully in dessert-inspired mixes or even just over ice.
It’s a go-to if you love berry-flavoured anything, or just a hint of uniqueness in your average, everyday fruity cocktails!
Price: INR 2,800
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