We Asked 17 Drinks Pros: What’s the Best After-Dinner Drink?
Dessert may be some folks’ favorite course, but here at VinePair, we believe the best way to end a meal involves a tipple or two. From cocktails and cordials to wines and digestifs, the act of consuming after-dinner drinks is a long-standing tradition. And thanks to the rise of craft cocktails and the resurgence of amari in recent years, the nightcap has returned with vigor.
Today’s after-dinner drinks take many forms and range from customary digestion-aiding drinks and dessert wines to intricate specialty cocktails. If you’re new to the movement and are just entering your grown-up after-dinner drinking phase, finding the right sip to fit your preference can be daunting — especially in today’s Espresso Martini-laden landscape. To help guide you, we’ve polled a team of experts. Ahead, bartenders, sommeliers, and other beverage pros share their favorite drinks to sip post-meal.
The Best After-Dinner Drinks, According to Drinks Pros
- negroni
- Jean-Marc Roulot L’Abricot Liqueur
- Palm wine
- Underberg
- Forthave
- Carajillo
- Ferrari
- Chartreuse VEP
- Drambuie
- Braulio
- Pineau
- Kijoshu
- 2000 D’Oliveiras Malvasia Colheita Madeira
- Francoli Antico Amaro Novelis Liqueur
- Averna
“My cocktail of choice is always Negroni, and is, of course, served over one big ice cube. The most interesting Negroni I think I’ve ever had was in Positano a month ago. It was fermented in butter for 24 days before serving.” —Justin Moran, founder, The Hidden Sea, South Australia
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