KGBCocktail recipe
Rating
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
KGB is a compact, spirit-forward cocktail that sits in the fruit-liqueur side of the gin family, closer in feel to a short, aromatic after-dinner drink than a long refresher. It doesn’t have a widely documented origin story, so you can treat it as a modern, bar-built combination where gin’s botanicals are used as a dry backbone for richer stone-fruit and cherry notes.
You’ll find the gin’s crisp, herbal edge keeps the drink from tipping into pure sweetness, while apricot brandy brings a soft, rounded fruit character that reads lush and slightly perfumed. The cherry liqueur adds a deeper, darker fruit sweetness that lingers, knitting the apricot and gin together and giving the finish a distinctly cherry-led signature.
Serve it in a cocktail glass when you want something small, elegant, and unapologetically flavourful. It suits you if you like gin but also enjoy fruit-driven, liqueur-forward drinks, and it works especially well as a pre-dinner sipper or a late-night “one more” that still feels polished.
Microbadges
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Cocktail Colin says:
Gin leads with crisp botanicals wrapped in apricot brandy’s soft stone-fruit sweetness and cherry liqueur’s dark, candy-like fruit, finishing warm and perfumed in a cocktail glass. It works because the gin’s dryness reins in the liqueurs while the apricot and cherry layer into a cohesive orchard-fruit core; ideal for after-dinner sipping and anyone who likes spirit-forward, fruit-tinged drinks.
Method
How to make a KGB
- Gin 60ml, Apricot brandy 15ml, Cherry liqueur 22.5ml
-
- Combine all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice
-
- Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass
-
- Add a twist of lemon to garnish and serve
Power tips
Elevate the KGB with these master mixologist tips
Upgrade to premium
And receive world class tips on how to raise your cocktails to the next level.
Find out more- Upgrade to premium to receive power tips from top bartenders around the world. Raise you mixology game.
- Read the tweaks that take this simple cocktail to the next level of greatness. Become the next best mixologist which people all talk about.
Your private tasting notes
Featured in
FAQ's
Can I substitute a different type of brandy if I don’t have apricot brandy for the KGB cocktail?
Yes, you can substitute apricot brandy with another fruit-flavored brandy, such as peach or apple brandy, although it will slightly alter the flavor profile of the cocktail. If you're looking for a non-brandy alternative, a fruit-flavored liqueur in a similar taste profile could also work, but be mindful of the sweetness it may add.
What’s the best method to chill the cocktail glass for serving the KGB?
The best method to chill a cocktail glass for serving the KGB is by placing the glass in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before serving. If you're short on time, filling the glass with ice and cold water and letting it sit for a few minutes will also effectively chill the glass.
What garnish would best complement the flavors of the KGB cocktail?
A lemon twist or a cherry can be used as garnishes for the KGB cocktail. Both complement its flavors well, with the lemon twist adding a zesty aroma that balances the sweetness of the apricot brandy and cherry liqueur, and the cherry enhancing the cocktail's fruity components.
How does the alcohol content in the KGB compare to a standard cocktail?
With an alcohol content of 34.13%, the KGB cocktail is slightly stronger than many standard cocktails, which typically range from 20% to 30% alcohol by volume (ABV). Its content is boosted by the presence of gin as the primary spirit, making it a stronger choice for those who prefer a more potent drink.
Can the KGB cocktail be made sweeter or less sweet according to personal preference?
Yes, the sweetness of the KGB cocktail can be adjusted by varying the amount of cherry liqueur and apricot brandy. For a sweeter drink, you can slightly increase the amounts of these liqueurs. Conversely, for a less sweet version, reduce the amounts of cherry liqueur and apricot brandy, or consider adding a splash of club soda or lemon juice to balance the sweetness.
Upgrade your mixology
Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. Or become a premium member to rise to cocktail greatness.
- Save your bar forever
- Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
- Access to Cocktail Colin; ask Cocktail Colin anything on an individual cocktail and he'll give you the answers you need.
- Create personalised cocktail menus for all your events, bars or parties
- Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
- Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
- Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
- A personalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
- And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Have you tried our Wordpress Plugin?
Download our plugin and embed cocktail recipes directly onto your own site or blog.
Choose from our whole recipe database, or choose a specific cocktail made with a certain ingredient, and let us place a beautiful recipe on your own site.
Find out moreYou might also like
Dive into this robust mix of spirits and cola
Long Island Iced Tea
White rum, Gin, Tequila blanco, Vodka, Cointreau, Cola, Lemon juice, Sugar / simple syrup
Taste this vibrant mix of gin, absinthe, and orange.
Monkey Gland
Absinthe, Gin, Orange juice, Grenadine
Try this rich, aromatic coffee-infused Negroni.
Coffee Negroni
Gin, Campari, Red vermouth
Discover this gin and grapefruit refreshment with a twist
Salty Dog
Gin, Grapefruit juice, Salt
Create a cocktail
Choose a theme and some ingredients, give us some description and we'll create an amazing cocktail for you.
Register as a Premium Make Me a Cocktail community member and get access to an even more powerful creator.
Start creatingBuild your bar
Tell us what you have at home and we’ll find a delicious cocktail for you to make right now.
Register as a Make Me a Cocktail community member and we’ll save your ingredients list so you can come back to it at any time.
Create My Bar
Cocktail Colin
Your cocktail expert
Hi! I'm Cocktail Colin
Ask me anything about this cocktail - how to make it, substitutions, variations, or any other questions!
Become a member to access Cocktail Colin
Become a member (for free) to pick Cocktail Colin's cocktail filled brain on everything on this cocktail, from substitutions, if you can use what you have, to serving suggestions and more.
Become a member
Comments