Chambord
Chambord is a raspberry and blackberry liqueur from the Loire, bottled at 16.5% ABV and made by steeping the fruit in spirit with vanilla, citrus peel, honey and cognac, by Difford’s Guide’s account, a secondary source. It is a brand rather than a category, so another fruit-steeped raspberry liqueur, a crème de framboise for one, works as well in our recipes. It sweetens and colours the French Martini, the Purple Rain and the Grateful Dead.
Quick Facts
Sealed and upright; in our experience refrigeration after opening extends the berry brightness.
None of the 14 listed allergens. Recipes change: check the bottle.
About Chambord
Flavour Profile
Primary Flavours
Tasting Notes
Dark raspberry and blackberry first, then honey and vanilla, with a little warmth from the cognac. Sweet, but less sugary than crème de cassis.
A branded raspberry liqueur with honey and cognac in it
Chambord starts as raspberries and blackberries infused in neutral spirit. Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey and cognac go in with them, which is why it tastes rounder than a plain fruit liqueur. It is bottled at 16.5% in the Loire Valley and has belonged to Brown-Forman since 2006.
It is not sold as a crème. The spirit drinks rules ask 250g of sugar per litre of any crème de framboise, and only 100g of an ordinary liqueur. Chambord is a liqueur, so the label tells you less about its sugar than a crème label would.
A fruit-based raspberry liqueur works just as well
Our French Martini names raspberry liqueur, not Chambord, and the Grateful Dead lists either. The test is the label: fruit first, not flavouring. The three bottles that turn up in a raspberry drink compare like this.
Chambord, crème de framboise and raspberry syrup compared (Chambord from Difford’s Guide, a secondary source; minimums from Regulation (EC) No 110/2008; the syrup and the French Martini rows are ours)
Made from
- Chambord
- Raspberries and blackberries, with vanilla, citrus peel, honey and cognac
- Crème de framboise
- Raspberries steeped in spirit and sweetened
- Raspberry syrup
- Raspberries cooked with sugar
Strength
- Chambord
- 16.5%
- Crème de framboise
- At least 15% by law
- Raspberry syrup
- Alcohol-free
Sugar
- Chambord
- At least 100 g a litre (a liqueur)
- Crème de framboise
- At least 250 g a litre (a crème)
- Raspberry syrup
- Usually sweeter than either
In a French Martini
- Chambord
- The usual choice
- Crème de framboise
- Works at the same 15ml
- Raspberry syrup
- Use less, and the drink loses strength
| Chambord | Crème de framboise | Raspberry syrup | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made from | Raspberries and blackberries, with vanilla, citrus peel, honey and cognac | Raspberries steeped in spirit and sweetened | Raspberries cooked with sugar |
| Strength | 16.5% | At least 15% by law | Alcohol-free |
| Sugar | At least 100 g a litre (a liqueur) | At least 250 g a litre (a crème) | Usually sweeter than either |
| In a French Martini | The usual choice | Works at the same 15ml | Use less, and the drink loses strength |
It wants acid, bubbles or a long mixer against it
Every drink we make with it gives the sugar something to push against. The French Martini shakes 15ml with three times as much vodka and an equal 15ml of fresh pineapple juice, which supplies both the acid and the foam. The Grateful Dead sets 22.5ml against lime, and the Purple Rain lengthens 30ml with lemon-lime soda.
The Raspberry Lynchburg uses 15ml with Tennessee whiskey, lemon and sparkling lemonade, and the Elderflower & Raspberry puts 30ml under elderflower tonic. For a blackberry drink, crème de mûre takes its place.
Using Chambord
Usage
From 15ml to 30ml in our recipes. At 15ml it sweetens a French Martini on its own; at 22.5ml it carries the Grateful Dead; at 30ml it takes a long mixer, as in the Purple Rain. Count it as sugar and keep acid or bubbles in the glass with it.
Pro Tip
For a French Martini, use fresh pineapple juice, shake on plenty of ice and double strain. Let it stand a few seconds in the glass so the foam settles into a clean layer before you serve it.
Top Tips
- Any raspberry liqueur made from fruit can stand in for it; one built on flavouring tastes of sweets.
- Shake the French Martini hard: fresh pineapple juice gives the foam, and the raspberry liqueur sits under it.
- Pour it before a long mixer, not after, so the colour runs through the glass.
- After opening, in our experience the fridge helps if the bottle will last more than a few weeks; the berry aroma fades first.
Possible Substitutions
- Blackberry Liqueur: Blackberry rather than raspberry, without the honey and vanilla
- Crème de Cassis: Blackcurrant: sharper and sweeter, so pour a touch under the measure
- Raspberry Syrup: Alcohol-free and sweeter; a splash of cognac brings it closer
Production Method
By Difford’s Guide’s account, raspberries and blackberries infused in neutral spirit with Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey and cognac.
History & Context
Difford’s Guide, a secondary source, says a blackberry and raspberry liqueur was said to have been introduced to Louis XIV at Château Chambord in the late seventeenth century, that Norton J. Cooper launched the modern product in 1981, and that Brown-Forman bought the brand from the Cooper family in 2006.
More to explore
Common Questions
What is Chambord?
What can I use instead of Chambord?
How strong is Chambord?
What does Chambord taste like?
Does Chambord go in the fridge once opened?
What drinks use Chambord?
Did Louis XIV really drink Chambord?
Sources.
Checked between 16 October and 19 October 2026.
- Difford’s Guide, “Chambord Liqueur” (secondary source: raspberries and blackberries infused in neutral spirit with Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey and cognac; 16.5%; the Louis XIV legend; Norton J. Cooper, launched 1981; Brown-Forman bought it in 2006).
- Brown-Forman, “Chambord” (owner’s brand page (black raspberry liqueur made in the Loire Valley)).
- legislation.gov.uk, “Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex II (retained)”.
Made with Chambord
Featured In These Cocktails
Often Used With
Updated 19 October 2026