Two clean layers in a small glass: crystal-clear sambuca below and a cap of Irish cream floating above. Drunk in one go, it tastes like anise sweets dipped in cream.
½ oz
sambuca chillede.g. Molinari · Ramazzotti · Luxardo · Romana
½ oz
Irish cream liqueure.g. Baileys · Carolans · Kerrygold Irish Cream
3 drop
grenadine dropped into the centre (optional)
Garnish: No garnish · Ice: Served up, no ice
Slippery Nipple
Sweet and creamy with strong anise, vanilla and cocoa notes. Small but fairly strong.
The Slippery Nipple is one of the best known layered shots of the 1980s and 1990s, the era of cheeky names and brightly striped shooters. Its exact origin is not documented.
What made it popular behind the bar is that it is easy to layer: sambuca is heavier than Irish cream liqueur, so the cream floats on top with little effort, which makes it a good first layered shot for beginners.
A few drops of grenadine are sometimes added to the centre for a red dot, a version some bars serve under slightly different names.
Pour sambuca first, then float the Irish cream slowly over the back of a barspoon.
Sambuca is denser, so it stays at the bottom and the cream liqueur floats on top.
It tastes similar, but ouzo is less sweet and may not layer as cleanly.
The perfect sound
A smooth, silly shot at a big rock night.
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