Crème de Cassis
Lejay-Lagoute & Boudier · Dijon, Burgundy, France · Est. 1841
A deep purple-red blackcurrant liqueur from Burgundy, so sweet and concentrated it turns a plain glass of white wine into a Kir — or a flute of Champagne into a Kir Royale.
What is Crème de Cassis?
Crème de Cassis is a French liqueur made by macerating blackcurrants (cassis) in neutral spirit or wine, then sweetening the result until it reaches the high sugar threshold required for the “crème” designation — a term that signals concentrated sweetness, not dairy. Commercial production is generally credited to Auguste-Denis Lagoute, who began making it in Dijon in 1841, and Dijon remains the traditional home of the liqueur to this day.
As a fruit liqueur/modifier, Crème de Cassis sits alongside other low-ABV, high-sugar bar staples like Triple Sec and Campari — it isn’t sipped as a base spirit, but added in small amounts to deliver concentrated colour, sweetness, and fruit character to a much larger drink.
Its signature use is the Kir: a splash of cassis topped with a dry white wine (traditionally Bourgogne Aligoté), a pairing popularised after WWII by Canon Félix Kir, mayor of Dijon, as a way to promote regional produce. Swap the still wine for Champagne or another sparkling wine and it becomes a Kir Royale.
Flavour Profile
Intensely sweet with a rich, jammy blackcurrant character and a mild tannic tartness underneath — its low ABV (typically 15–20%) is a direct result of the high sugar content the “crème” designation requires. A little goes a long way; too heavy a pour will oversweeten a drink fast.
Crème de Cassis vs Chambord vs Crème de Mûre
Cassis is often confused with other dark, sweet berry liqueurs — here’s how the three most commonly swapped bottles actually differ.
| Liqueur | ABV | Sugar level | Dominant flavour | Best known cocktail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crème de Cassis | 15–20% | High (“crème” grade) | Blackcurrant | Kir Royale |
| Chambord | 16.5% | Very high | Raspberry & black raspberry, with vanilla/citrus notes | French Martini |
| Crème de Mûre | 15–20% | High (“crème” grade) | Blackberry | Bramble |
All three are close cousins in style — sweet, low-proof, deeply coloured fruit liqueurs built to top up a much larger drink — but the fruit is genuinely different. Cassis leans tart-jammy blackcurrant, Chambord is rounder and more floral/vanilla-accented raspberry, and crème de mûre sits somewhere between the two with a blackberry brambly edge.
Quick Facts
Category
Fruit Liqueur / Modifier
Country of Origin
France (Dijon, Burgundy)
ABV
15–20%
Founded
1841, by Auguste-Denis Lagoute
Colour
Deep purple-red / garnet
Key Ingredients
Blackcurrants, neutral spirit, sugar
Serve Neat?
Rarely — built as a modifier, not sipped alone
Similar to
Crème de Mûre, Chambord, blackcurrant cordial
Substitutes for Crème de Cassis
Out of cassis? Here’s what to reach for depending on what you’re making and whether alcohol matters.
Blackcurrant cordial or syrup
The best non-alcoholic swap — gives similar sweetness and colour without the ABV. Use a slightly heavier pour, since it’s less concentrated than the liqueur.
Chambord
The closest alcoholic substitute in style — sweet, jammy, and low-proof — though it leans raspberry rather than blackcurrant, so expect a rounder, less tart result.
Crème de Mûre (blackberry liqueur)
Very similar colour and sweetness level, with a blackberry note that’s close enough to pass in most recipes.
Grenadine
A last-resort swap for colour and sweetness only — it’s pomegranate-based, so the fruit flavour will read differently. Use sparingly.
Cocktails That Use Crème de Cassis
Cassis is a one-ingredient flavour bomb, so it rarely needs more than a splash. Its best-known home is the Kir family of wine cocktails — the still-wine Kir, the Champagne-topped Kir Royale, a dry-cider Kir Breton, and a raspberry-liqueur variant called Kir Imperial all follow the same build. It also shows up in small measures in drinks like the Vermouth Cassis.
Where to Buy Crème de Cassis
Quality varies more than you’d expect for a liqueur this sweet — a genuinely Dijon-made bottle tends to have a fresher, less syrupy fruit character than mass-market versions.
Marie Brizard Crème de Cassis de Dijon
Widely available, reliably fruity, and priced for everyday use in a Kir or Kir Royale.
Check price on AmazonGabriel Boudier Cassis de Dijon
A historic Dijon house’s flagship cassis — deeper, fresher blackcurrant flavour that’s worth the upgrade if cassis drinks are a regular pour.
Check price on AmazonStorage
Cassis’s sugar content helps preserve it, but its relatively low ABV means it fades faster once opened than a full-proof liqueur.
Temperature
Refrigerate after opening to keep the fruit flavour fresh.
Light
Store away from direct sunlight — the deep colour can fade over time.
Sealing
Reseal the cap tightly after every use.
Shelf life
Unopened: 2–3+ years in a cool, dark place. Opened and refrigerated: best used within a few months for peak flavour.