🥃 Egg liqueur (advocaat)

Egg liqueur, or advocaat (also avocat, advokat), is a liqueur made from ethyl alcohol, a distillate or another spirit drink, whose ingredients are quality egg yolk, egg white and sugar or honey. In the EU it is category 39 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787: at least 14% vol. and at least 140 g of pure yolk per litre.

There must be at least 150 g/l of sugar or honey, expressed as invert sugar. Only foodstuffs with flavouring properties, flavouring substances and preparations may be used for flavouring; dairy products are also allowed. If eggs from birds other than hens (Gallus gallus) are used, this must be stated on the label. The 14% minimum is an exception: for EU liqueurs the general minimum is 15%.

Beside it is the milder category 40, "egg liqueur": half as much yolk, from 70 g/l, the same 150 g/l of sugar or honey, and a strength from 15% vol. So the name "advocaat" guarantees the highest yolk content among EU egg liqueurs.

Cream liqueurs such as Irish Cream are a different family: their base is dairy cream, not eggs. The site covers both groups in the section "Egg and cream liqueurs".

Why it matters to you. Eggs and milk are allergens under EU rules and must be declared on the label even where a full ingredient list is not required for a spirit drink. The word "advocaat" means at least 140 g of yolk per litre, while "egg liqueur" means only from 70 g. WHO: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.