Kir Royale cocktail recipe

The Kir Royale is a simple cocktail. That’s what makes it so good. Champagne and créme de cassis are its only ingredients, a quality it shares with its many siblings. But before we get to the Royale, it’s the story of its predecessor – known simply as the Kir – that we should explore.

Actually, scratch that. The story of the Kir is a long and convoluted one. All you need to know is that some guy named Félix Kir, the mayor of Dijon, served it to visiting diplomats in the aftermath of WWII as a clever way to dispose of the surplus white wine the Germans didn’t confiscate. Everybody loved it. Huge success. It was so good that Dallas and Dijon became sister cities.

Where the Kir and the Kir Royale diverge is the wine. Where the Kir calls for Burgundian whites (why didn’t the Germans take the Chablis?), the Kir Royale calls for Champagne. That’s pretty much it, but there’s no denying these are very different cocktails. One’s fizzy, one isn’t. 

In any case, the harmonious coming together of syrupy blackcurrant cassis and biscuity Champagne make for a truly timeless tipple.

Few cocktails come together quite as easily as the Kir Royale, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stuff it up. The fewer the ingredients, the better they need to be, and with just two to its name, the Kir Royale is no exception.

First and foremost, you’ll need a good-quality dry Champagne – Duperrey Champagne Brut Premier Cru is our go-to. This great-value drop is a hit with critics but won’t break the bank, and with subtle notes of lemon curd, stone fruit and flinty sourdough notes, it is complex enough to give your Kir Royale some serious depth.

As for the créme de cassis, Marie Brizard Cassis de Dijon has been in production since 1755, providing a near peerlessly authentic taste of Burgundy’s favourite liqueur.

If you love the simplicity and style of this cocktail, be sure to try the Chambord Royale – it’s a deliciously subtle riff on this classic.