Lucas Bols Blue Curacao 500ml

Lucas Bols Blue Curacao is the bright blue orange liqueur from Bols, the Amsterdam liqueur house that traces its history to 1575. Bols lists it at 21% ABV and describes it as one of its oldest liqueurs, once sold as Crème de Ciel.

Buy Lucas Bols Blue Curacao Online in New Zealand

Bols makes it with a particular type of orange peel and its own botanical infusion, giving fresh, tangy citrus with a hint of mandarin. The blue is purely visual; it tastes of orange, the same way an orange curaçao would. That makes it the go-to liqueur when you want a drink to look as summery as it tastes. Bols’ liqueur range has long been a fixture in cocktail bars, and the brand runs its own bartending academy in Amsterdam.

Bols’ own tasting notes:

Nose: Plenty of aromatic orange with a touch of mandarin.

Palate: Fresh, tangy citrus, again with a hint of mandarin.

Bols suggests it for the Margarita Azul and the Blue Hawaii. It also makes a Blue Lagoon with vodka and lemonade, or a quick blue spritz topped with sparkling wine and soda. Start with 15 to 20ml in a drink; a little gives plenty of colour. Serve the cocktails very cold, in tall glasses with lots of ice and a slice of orange or pineapple.

This 500ml bottle suits home bars and party cocktails. Tropical drinks made with it go well with barbecue skewers, fish tacos and fresh fruit.