Tempus Fugit Spirits Creme de Noyaux
Tempus Fugit Spirits Crème de Noyaux is a 60-proof (30% ABV), 750mL Swiss liqueur that revives one of the 19th century's lost classics — a garnet-red, marzipan-rich stone-fruit liqueur distilled from apricot and cherry pit kernels with bitter almonds and botanicals, colored naturally with cochineal exactly as the original French recipes directed. It earned 94 points from Wine Enthusiast when it launched in 2013 and set the modern benchmark for a category that had nearly vanished. Stock your bar and order online at Del Mesa Liquor for San Diego delivery or pickup.
- Proof / ABV: 60 proof / 30% ABV
- Size: 750mL
- Origin: produced in Switzerland by the Matter Distillery for Tempus Fugit Spirits
- Production: distilled apricot and cherry pit kernels + bitter almonds; natural garnet-red color from cochineal; trace cyanide from the pits removed in production
- Recognition: 94 points, Wine Enthusiast
The Liqueur Time Forgot
Crème de noyaux — "noyaux" means kernels in French — was a staple of the great pre-Prohibition cocktail books, then disappeared almost entirely. Tempus Fugit Spirits built its name resurrecting exactly these ghosts, cross-referencing 19th-century protocols in multiple languages and spending years on research and testing before this release. Where amaretto uses almond extract, real crème de noyaux distills the kernels of stone fruit, extracting the natural almond-like compounds for a character that is simultaneously more complex, more bitter, and more genuinely nutty. It is the essential bottle for an authentic Pink Squirrel or Old Etonian — and a superior amaretto substitute anywhere the recipe deserves better. See our full liqueurs collection for more cocktail essentials.
Tasting Notes
Intense sweet marzipan and roasted almond lead, layered with cherry, stone fruit, and a flicker of white pepper. The palate is rich and velvety — complex spicy marzipan with sweet cherry, pomegranate, and raspberry fruitiness, dried out by an assertive, almost black-pepper spice. The finish is long, with lingering spiced almond and a touch of balancing bitterness that keeps it sophisticated rather than sweet.
How to Enjoy
Serve chilled or over crushed ice as a digestif, or deploy it in vintage recipes: the Pink Squirrel (with crème de cacao and cream), the Old Etonian, or the cognac-based Japanese Cocktail. It also loves chocolate desserts — drizzle over a cherry-almond tart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between crème de noyaux and amaretto?
Amaretto is typically made with almond extract or whole almonds; crème de noyaux is distilled from the kernels of apricot and cherry pits plus bitter almonds, giving a deeper, more bitter, more genuinely nutty character.
What gives it the red color?
Cochineal, a natural coloring agent specified in the original 19th-century French recipes — no artificial dye.
Which classic cocktails need crème de noyaux?
The Pink Squirrel and the Old Etonian are the two canonical calls; it's also the historic backbone of the Japanese Cocktail.
Bartenders call this the secret weapon for vintage cocktails — grab your bottle of Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyaux from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA, today.