There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to the various types of apricot liqueurs: brandy, schnapps, and so forth. We refer to the sweetest types of spirits as “apricot liqueur,” and the less-sweet light-orange or un-sweet clear spirits as “apricot brandy.”
High-quality apricot liqueurs can be difficult to source, depending on your location. If all you can find are Bols or DeKuyper, those are fine as a small component in a drink with other ingredients, but might not be up to snuff in apricot-forward recipes. As with other fruit liqueurs, we tend to prefer French brands like Giffard and Marie Brizard. Luxardo’s apricot liqueur is our absolute favorite, but is sadly not easy to find everywhere.