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The Fabled Pour

Pear liqueur

Also called Poire William liqueur, liqueur de poire, Williams pear liqueur

A French style fruit liqueur of Williams (Bartlett) pears, made by macerating and often also distilling the fruit in spirit, then sweetening, typically 25 to 30% ABV. Ripe, juicy and floral, it pairs with gin, brandy and sparkling wine and reads as autumn in a glass.

  • ripe Williams pear
  • white flowers
  • honey
  • soft spice
  • pear skin tannin
  • clean sweetness

Origin

The French liqueur houses of the Loire and Burgundy developed fruit liqueurs from the 19th century: Émile Giffard, a pharmacist in Angers, created Menthe-Pastille in 1885 and his family firm still makes fruit liqueurs by macerating fruit in alcohol for 48 hours to three months before dosing, blending and filtering. Giffard's own Poire William liqueur is built on Poire William eau-de-vie and bottled at 25% ABV; Gabriel Boudier of Dijon makes its version by both macerating and distilling the pears and bottles it at 30%. Poire Williams eau-de-vie, the dry clear spirit, is a different product.

Common uses

  • a pear Collins with gin and lemon
  • pear liqueur lengthened with prosecco
  • a Sidecar variation with pear in place of some Cointreau
  • a pear Old Fashioned with brandy
  • spiced winter punches

Sources

  1. Maison Giffard, Giffard · primary source, retrieved 2026-10-11
  2. William Pear Liqueur, Giffard · primary source, retrieved 2026-10-11
  3. Boudier Liqueur de Poires Williams, Hedonism Wines (retailer listing) · tertiary source, retrieved 2026-10-11