The Kir Royale is an easy but elegant cocktail that's perfect for the holidays or New Year's Eve (or any celebration, really). It requires only two ingredients making it a great drink to serve when hosting a party.
The story of the Kir cocktail
The Kir Royale is a variation of the Kir cocktail, which combines crème de cassis with white wine. The Kir was invented in the early 1900s in Dijon, France.
It's unclear if the drink had a name originally, but in the 1940s, the mayor of Dijon, a French Catholic priest name Felix Kir, helped to put the cocktail on the map. He was known to serve it at parties and it became his signature drink.
Sometime after World War II, the Kir Royale was created, taking the drink to an elegant new level. The Kir Royale keeps the crème de cassis but replaces the white wine with champagne. Today, the Kir and the Kir Royale have become symbols of hospitality in the Burgundy region of France. Learn more about the history of the Kir Royale.
What is crème de cassis?
Crème de cassis is a very sweet liqueur flavored with black currants. "Crème" style liqueurs contain more sugar than the average liqueur, making them thick and syrupy. It should be noted that they are not the same as "cream" liqueurs, which contain cream or some other type of dairy.
Black currants have a distinct, deep, berry-like flavor that pairs well with both white wine and sparkling wines like champagne or prosecco. Its unique flavor makes it just a bit more special than the typical raspberry or blackberry liqueurs.
Crème de cassis is relatively easy to find in liquor stores, but finding a high quality bottle cant be a little harder. Fortunately, it's easy to make your own. Recently, I came up with a very simple way to make crème de cassis (or even just black currant syrup minus the alcohol). Get my Quick Crème de Cassis Recipe.
What you'll need to make it
This sparkling cocktail is made with just two ingredients, plus an optional, festive garnish.
Crème de cassis
As described above, crème de cassis is a black currant liqueur. You can purchase a quality brand such as Massenez Creme de Cassis, or you can even make your own with fresh black currants or black currant juice. This ingredient is critical to the Kir and the Kir Royale cocktail. However, there are some liqueurs you can substitute with if you are just looking for something similar. Read more about that below.
Champagne
Because the Kir Royale was invented in France, it was made with France's most famous sparkling wine, champagne. It is possible to make a Kir Royale with other types of sparkling wine, as long as they are on the dry side. Good options are prosecco or cava.
Some great brands of champagne for making this cocktail include Moët, Perrier-jouët, or Taittinger. While you don't have to buy a very expensive champagne for this drink, you should avoid bottom shelf bottles for the best flavor.
Garnish
A garnish is typically optional for a Kir Royale, but I would suggest that a lemon twist improves the cocktail greatly. Lemon oils add a bright, fresh citrus aroma and cut through the sweetness of the liqueur.
Another great garnish is a single blackberry or raspberry. The flavor of these berries complements the black currant and makes for a lovely presentation.
How to make the cocktail
To make an exceptional Kir Royale, it's important to chill all ingredients and glassware in advance.
Chill your ingredients and glassware
Your crème de cassis and champagne should be placed in the refrigerator at least two hours in advance. Be sure to chill your champagne flutes in the freezer at least one hour in advance.
Chilling your glass and ingredients will ensure that you serve perfectly cold cocktails. Because there is no ice in this drink, this step is extra important, so don't skip it!
Measure, pour, garnish
When you're ready to serve, place your cold champagne flutes on a tray and add a half ounce of chilled crème de cassis to each. Pop open the bubbly and top up each glass with about 4-5 ounces of champagne.
If you'd like the make the drink really pop, peel a strip of lemon rind using a vegetable peeler and twist it over the surface of the drink to release the citrus oils. You can discard the peel or drop it in the glass. Use a fresh twist for each cocktail served. Finally, drop a blackberry or raspberry into each glass and enjoy.
Recipe variations
There are a few ways you can create similar berry-and-sparkling wine cocktails. Although these are not exactly the same as a classic Kir Royale, they are similar and equally as enjoyable.
Blackberry or raspberry liqueurs
If you don't have crème de cassis, you can make a similar drink by replacing it with a blackberry liqueur like crème de mure or a raspberry liqueur like Chambord. Chambord is a black raspberry liqueur that's very popular and easy to find in any liquor store. Use half to one ounce per drink, depending on the sweetness of the liqueur.
Other types of sparkling wine
Champagne is the traditional choice for a Kir Royale, but you can use other dry sparkling wines instead. Prosecco or cava are great options. I have made many lovely Kir Royales with Mionetto prosecco. Just be sure that the sparkling wine you're using is dry and not sweet, or the drink could become cloyingly sweet!
You may also enjoy these other cocktail recipes:
- Classic French 75 Cocktail
- Cranberry Campari Spritz
- Pomegranate Rosé Paloma
- Honey Ginger French 75 (Gin and Champagne Cocktail)
- Cranberry Mimosas
Kir Royale Classic French Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ oz crème de cassis
- 4-6 oz champagne
- lemon twist, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Chill your ingredients and champagne flute at least 2 hours in advance.
- Add the crème de cassis to a chilled flute, then top with cold champagne.
- Express the oils of a lemon peel over the drink, if desired.
- Garnish with a blackberry or raspberry for additional visual appeal.