The 7 Best Drambuie Substitutes

Some recipes call for various types of wine, liqueur, and even beer. These are often used as part of the flavor prospect of the dish and, most of the time, the alcohol content is cooked out of the dish in the process.

There are so many great dishes that use these types of ingredients and you might just be amazed at how flavorful these dishes can be. 

One option for a liqueur that we see quite often is Drambuie. This liqueur is similar to Scotch but is actually a liqueur. It is golden and sweet in flavor. It’s well-known for offering a honey-like taste combined with herbs and spices.

So what is the best substitute for Drambuie? Lochan Ora is the best substitute for Drambuie, as both liqueurs have a similarly sweet, honey-flavored profile. Other suitable alternatives for Drambuie include Amaretto, Grandtully, and Triple Sec.

In this guide, we will share with you the 7 best Drambuie substitutes out there.

We’ve searched the market to find some awesome solutions that can work for cocktails but also work for cooking purposes if you have a recipe calling for Drambuie. We think you will find there are plenty of choices. 

Keep reading to learn about the 7 best Drambuie substitutes and more! 

Choosing a Substitute for Drambuie

Before you get started looking at alternatives, let’s talk for just a moment about things you might want to consider. Choosing an alternative doesn’t just mean you should pick the first similar item. 

You’ll want to understand how you’re going to use Drambuie and just what the purpose is. This will help you make a decision on the best substitute. 

Purpose

To choose an alternative, you really want to consider the purpose of Drambuie. If you’re making a cocktail, it’s typically added for sweetening and flavor purposes.

It has a sweet and rich flavor that really perfects some cocktails, like the Rusty Nail. 

However, Drambuie is often popular for cooking purposes too. It’s a common addition to some dessert recipes because of the richly sweet flavor as well.

Of course, if you want to avoid adding alcohol, there are a few great alternatives. 

Keep in mind that Drambuie has a heavy honey flavor so you might be able to substitute with a honey and water mixture for things like desserts and cakes. 

Flavor

While you can most certainly find suitable alternatives, you should note that there are not really any “knock-offs” or generic modifications to Drambuie.

This means that no matter what you substitute your flavor may not quite be exactly the same. 

Of course, this can be true any time you are substituting with any type of product out there.

Thankfully, there are still some great options but you should be prepared for the possibility that your cocktail or perhaps your food item won’t taste quite the same in the end. 

The 7 Best Drambuie Substitutes Out There

It’s time to get down to business and discuss the best alternatives. You will find that most of these substitutes are just other forms of alcohol but there are also some additional substitutes if you’re looking to keep things non-alcoholic. 

Be aware of your options and familiar with them and understand just what Drambuie is meant to do in your recipe that you are following.

Take note that it is most often used to add both depth and sweetness, regardless of whether it’s for a cocktail or food. 

Below, you will find our top picks for the 7 best Drambuie substitutes out there. We hope this helps you find a great alternative! 

1. Lochan Ora

If you want a liquor that offers similar flavors, Lochan Ora is a top choice for substitutes. The flavors and the sweetness are very similar, making it a popular option. This Scotch whiskey is made by Chivas Brothers. 

On the downside, Lochan Ora can also be hard to find and it is no less expensive than Drambuie so if those are your purposes, this may not work for you.

However, we couldn’t leave it out of this guide as it is the top-recommended substitute when it comes to suitable alternatives to Drambuie. 

Lochan Ora is known for having a highly sweet flavor that takes on just a bit of a smoky and herbal undertone as well. It can be sipped, mixed, cooked with, or whatever you might need.

Lochan Ora is very smooth and very sweet, which is why it makes such a great substitute. 

2. Amaretto

Amaretto is another great alternative, particularly if you are looking for that sweet addition that Drambuie gives you.

Amaretto can be found as an alcohol-free addition or you can purchase an amaretto liqueur if you prefer – it’s totally up to your preferences!

Amaretto tends to be a bit more budget-friendly and it can be easier to find. A lot of people even use amaretto in their coffee and smoothies.

Amaretto is very versatile and the flavors are perfectly sweet. If you want the best dessert substitute, this could quite easily be the solution for you! 

Here is a great non-alcoholic amaretto option for you if you need one! 

3. Grandtully

If you definitely want to maintain that sweetness that Drambuie offers, Grandtully could be a great option.

Grandtully is more affordable than Drambuie but it can also sometimes be hard to find. It’s almost always readily available for online purchase, though. 

Grandtully is known for its sweetness and it might even be slightly sweeter than Drambuie. It has that same honey flavor and also has a touch of herbal spice. This combination is what makes it a presentable alternative to Drambuie. 

When you compare the two, both have an herbal undertone with a sweet honey flavor. You will find that Grandtully might be slightly sweeter with a stronger honey flavor but the herbal undertones are still present as well. 

4. Southern Comfort

If you want something that is almost always easy to find and is almost always affordable, Southern Comfort could work for you! You will probably find this in the whiskey section at your favorite liquor retailer. 

Southern Comfort isn’t your traditional whiskey. It has a lot of spice and fruit added to the spirits in the base, giving you a liquor that has flavors from bourbon, scotch, and Drambuie all rolled into one. 

Southern Comfort can work well as an alternative because it has a sweet flavor to it. The most dominant flavor is apricot.

We like this option as an alternative because it is sweet and yet so much more affordable and easy to find than some of the other options here. 

5. Triple Sec

If you want something sweet that gives you the honey notes but you’re not as fond of the herbal undertones, triple sec might be a good option. It really doesn’t taste quite like Drambuie, but for some, this is what makes it a good substitute. 

Triple sec is versatile and useful and is used in a lot of different drink recipes out there. The sweetness in triple sec comes from citrus and oranges rather than honey notes.

The nice thing about triple sec is you can find it in a liqueur but you can also find it in a non-alcoholic syrup if you prefer. 

Here is a great product option for a non-alcoholic triple sec syrup if you need it. 

6. Glayva

Glayva is made very similarly to Drambuie. You will find that they have a lot in common, starting with their Scotch whiskey base. In addition, they both have honey flavors and herby undertones that really set them apart. 

Glayva can be a great substitute for any use from drinks to desserts, and more. Their flavors and creation approaches are incredibly similar! 

7. Benedictine

Finally, you can use Benedictine liqueur as a suitable alternative as well. This liqueur is wonderfully sweet and it is made with more than 27 herbs and spices to create a sweet and spicy flavor all at the same time.

The honey notes are subtler because the spice and herbs are the main attraction for this one. 

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