15 Cocktail Bitters You Should Steer Clear Of Buying

Cocktail bitters are the seasonings of the bartending world, helping to elevate, accentuate, and bind flavors within a drink. Since you wouldn't skip salt when you're cooking, you shouldn't pass on bitters when making a cocktail. Now, the ingredient has come a long way over the years, with a dizzying array of different flavors to choose from. But with so many options at your disposal, some cocktail bitters are better left on the shelf.

There are plenty of reasons to avoid certain cocktail bitters. While you may assume it's because they make a drink taste bad, that's less common than you'd think. Realistically, some products just occasionally miss the mark. Perhaps the bitters taste a bit too weak, they lack depth and complexity, or they come off slightly redundant. In many cases, there's simply another ingredient that's more effective than the particular cocktail bitters (and I'll let you know where that's the case).

As a former bartender with years of professional experience around the world, I've tried and tested countless cocktail bitters. In short, some flavors simply aren't worth grabbing when restocking your bar — even if the bitters in question are made by one of the best cocktail bitters brands. With that in mind, let's take a look at 15 cocktail bitters you should steer clear of buying.

I've often heard mixology purists try to steer folks away from Fee Brothers' bitters, with some claiming the brand's products taste inauthentic, fake, and even plasticky. It's true the company uses glycerin instead of alcohol for its bitters' base and pre-made flavor extracts instead of fresh ingredients, but that shouldn't be a reason to write them off. Then again, while there are plenty of excellent Fee Brothers products, its cherry bitters somewhat vindicates the brand's haters.

I appreciate that a range of cherry flavors exist, but "cough-syrupy" shouldn't be one of them. The synthetic taste is all too noticeable in these bitters, especially in lighter cocktails (where the unpleasant flavor overpowers refined and delicate ingredients).

Fortunately, these aren't your only options if you're looking for a tincture that'll provide a rich, cherry element for your cocktail. The bourbon barrel-aged Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry bitters are superb for adding depth to whiskey cocktails. Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla bitters are another favorite of mine due to the way they deftly balance earthy, creamy, and fruity elements.

Most people are well-acquainted with Angostura bitters. The yellow-capped bottle with the oversized label is a staple of nearly every bar, and it should be. The brand is the pinnacle of aromatic bitters, after all, and while there have been plenty of valiant attempts to improve on Angostura's classic tincture, I'd argue none have really managed it. But when it comes to Angostura Cocoa Bitters, it's simply outdone by better options.

Now, cocoa bitters are a great ingredient for cocktails and cooking alike, adding a nutty, chocolatey dimension to recipes. And even if Angostura's cocoa bitters will get the job done, they aren't my first choice — particularly when I want to raise a cocktail to its full potential.

Instead, consider a bottle of Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters. Bittermens is sort of like the Angostura of cocoa bitters — largely because I've yet to find a better alternative to the original product. In fact, its xocolatl mole bitters has a warming spiciness and complex botanical backbone that Angostura just isn't able to match.

As I said at the start, just because a company produces world-class bitters doesn't mean it nails every product. And while Bittermens arguably makes the best cocoa bitters around, its chili-inspired tincture falls short.

Bittermens Hellfire Habanero Shrub bitters have a reasonably spicy character, but you need to use a fair number of dashes to get the flavors and heat to show up. From a purely economic perspective, it's better when a little goes a long way. I also prefer it when spicy bitters use multiple types of chilis, resulting in a more interesting cocktail addition. By relying solely on habanero chilis, these bitters lack the well-rounded flavor profile of more complex tinctures, like Strongwater Bonfire bitters.

Hella's Smoked Chili bitters is a great option, as well, for a more subtle, smoky spice. Then again, a drink occasionally benefits from a cleaner spice element. So rather than opting for bitters, you might be better off infusing your base spirit with chilis instead.

I won't lie: I've often struggled to make good use of lemon bitters in cocktails. They're one of many great additions to a light, refreshing spritz, but their flavor is often lost in stronger drinks. If you feel your drink needs a dash of lemon essence, Dashfire Bitters' tincture isn't necessarily bad. However, it costs nearly double the price of The Bitter Truth's lemon bitters, for example, which has a much more interesting flavor profile.

Dashfire Bitters Lemon bitters is more like a liquid garnish to be spritzed over a martini or gin and tonic. While I give credit to Dashfire for its meticulous manufacturing methods and use of freshly peeled rinds in the recipe, these things come at a cost — and they don't translate all that well into the final product.

Conversely, The Bitter Truth's lemon option feels like bitters, with intense citrus bolstered by notes of sweet honey and spicy cinnamon. Furthermore, there's often a better way to add lemon notes to a cocktail beyond what Dashfire Bitters offers, such as fresh juice, infusing a spirit with fresh citrus peels, or adding a splash of lemon liqueur.

Fee Brothers Mint bitters don't suffer the same flaws as its cherry variety, so my problem with them isn't that they'll ruin a drink. Rather, the issue is that they can't really be classified as bitters since they only consist of base liquids, peppermint oil, and food coloring. Without any bittering ingredients, they can't balance flavors, and merely add some mint flavor — which isn't the point of cocktail bitters.

Frankly, if that's all your drink needs, fresh mint will do the job more effectively. Even if you're prebatching minty cocktails, you're better off making a mint-infused simple syrup instead. If you decide you need the bitters, though, I'd suggest going for something like Bob's Bitters Peppermint, as they actually highlight the bitter and spicy notes of a specific type of mint.

For a more intense mint flavor, I prefer using a liqueur, like creme de menthe, peppermint schnapps, or even the bitter Italian liqueur, Fernet Branca. The original Fernet already has intense menthol notes, but the brand has also launched a "Menta" version of its spirit that's even more minty. 

Although celery bitters aren't the most versatile, they're not without their uses. For instance, a few dashes can go a long way to binding the savory flavors of a bloody mary, according to Rocco DiSpirito – especially if you don't have any celery salt on hand. However, as reliable as The Bitter Truth's bitters range typically is, its celery bitters are a bit of a letdown.

Now, while fresh celery is one of the only foods I admittedly can't stand, I've never had a problem when it's used as a seasoning or ingredient in mirepoix. With that in mind, my issue with The Bitter Truth celery bitters is that they don't seem to capture the essence of the vegetable. They're indistinctly pungent and herbaceous, and more astringent than bitter, giving them an unbalanced profile.

Perhaps these bitters could work in a strong tequila cocktail, but I wouldn't use them in any lighter drinks or recipes that require prominent celery notes. I prefer Scrappy's Celery bitters because they have the celery seed flavor at the forefront, with just a touch of citrus playing a supporting role.

Founded in 2021, Seiers Scandinavian Craft Bitters launched after I'd left the cocktail bar scene, so I wasn't able to experiment with any of its products myself. Unfortunately, my first encounter with its rosemary bitters was as a customer, which left me thinking there had to be a better way to include that flavor beyond this brand's cocktail bitters.

Simply put, a single drop of Seiers Rosemary bitters is enough to overpower your drink with the herb's essence. Since there are superior alternatives to achieve a more subtle flavor (usually by including other ingredients like orange or grapefruit), steer clear of these rosemary bitters. If you just want to add a touch of rosemary to your cocktail, infusing a simple syrup or spirit with the fresh herb is more effective. Gin is an excellent base for a rosemary infusion, and a blanco tequila also pairs well.

Another option is to use it as a garnish. You can drop a sprig into a finished drink or use a garnish clip to attach it to the rim of the glass. This way, you still get the herbaceous aroma of the rosemary before each sip to complement the taste — without actually being a part of it.

When it comes to cocktails, floral flavors require a lot of care and attention. Add too little, and they'll be lost by a drink's more powerful components; too much, and they'll permeate the cocktail and overwhelm any sense of nuance. Drops & Dashes is the name of The Bitter Truth's limited edition range, celebrating the brand's 10th anniversary. Launched in 2016, it's not difficult to get your hands on a bottle of the line's blossom bitters — but it's probably best if you don't seek them out.

These blossom bitters are simply too intensely perfumed. A single drop is typically enough to create an explosive bouquet of flowery notes. Not only does this take complete control of a cocktail, but it also makes it really tricky to use them effectively.

With that in mind, Scrappy's Lavender bitters – the first of its kind – are a great example of how a balanced floral tincture should taste. The cherry petal-flavored Sakura bitters from The Japanese Bitters are another excellent choice, although they're fairly expensive and less suitable if you're on a tight budget.

I'm a huge fan of smoke as a flavor. Meat, whiskey, cocktails, you name it — the smokier the better. Unfortunately, the aromatic profile of High Camp Campfire bitters is strange and jarring, and difficult to detect beneath the oppressive layers of ashy, charred wood.

Smoky bitters need to be elegant so as not to unbalance a cocktail, but these are as subtle as being whacked over the head with a burning log. And while some bitters are hard to get right, High Camp doesn't have that excuse. After all, Ms. Better's Bitters Smoke and Oak bitters offer a buttery, leathery smoke profile that's rich and complex but not overpowering, so it can be done.

A simpler way to make a smoky cocktail is with a spritz or rinse of a smoky spirit. A peated scotch or smoky mezcal is ideal for this, but you can also use liquid smoke. If you're feeling fancy, you can even splurge on a smoke gun, and shake your liquid ingredients in a sealed container to infuse them with campfire flavors.

Earlier, I mentioned how many brands have made valiant attempts at emulating Angostura's classic aromatic bitters and fallen short. It's only fair I include an example, then, and Bittermens Transatlantic Modern Aromatic bitters have drawn the short straw because the company attempted a novel approach.

Bittermens' intention was to create a bitters that marries the classic profile of aromatic tinctures from the Americas with that of Europe's historic digestive bitters. Now, in some ways, it succeeds. These bitters feature the allspice, gentian root, and cinnamon notes of South American and Caribbean bitters alongside the more floral flavors of Alpine amari. But the issue arises with Bittermens' claims that these are complex but not confusing.

While I agree on the first point, I'm not sold on the second. No matter what recipe I tried these in, I couldn't help but feel Angostura bitters did the job better (even if I needed a second bitters to boost the flavor). Of course, even if you can't blame Bittermens for trying to supplant Angostura bitters, considering it's been around for about two centuries, it's likely a fool's errand.

I was a little skeptical when Woodford Reserve — the world-famous bourbon maker — released a range of bitters. But as it turns out, there are some real gems in there. Its spiced cherry bitters are excellent, and I'm also a fan of the sassafras and sorghum bitters. Unfortunately, Woodford's orange bitters fall a bit flat.

While the orange flavor is prominent, these bitters lack depth. There's just not enough spiciness or bitterness to balance the sweeter ingredients in cocktails. To be fair, these bitters aren't awful, so there's no need to throw them away if you picked up Woodford's variety pack of bitters. But there are simply too many better options on the market.

Bright, zesty, and aggressively bitter, Regan's No. 6 Orange bitters is a prime example of an orange-based tincture that creates depth in a drink, while simultaneously elevating its flavors with a bright citrus character. Of course, creating bitters that can both lift and bind a cocktail's ingredients is no mean feat, and it's simply not something Woodford Reserve managed with its orange bitters.

For some reason, it's always been hard for bitters brands to capture the essence of lime in a tincture. Even a company as capable as Scrappy's hasn't quite managed it, as evidenced by its lime bitters flavor — though I can't help but wonder if lime bitters are worth it in the first place.

I've used these bitters a few times to highlight the citrus notes in a gin and tonic, bring a touch more complexity to a caipirinha, or as an addition to a fruit-forward spritz cocktail. However, I've struggled to find many other uses for them. Scrappy's Lime bitters ended up being one of those bottles on my bar shelf that never seemed to run out — which, to me, is a sign not to bother with them again. If you love the drinks I mentioned, you might get more mileage out of these bitters, but it's probably best to steer clear entirely.

I've always loved The Bitter End's commitment to creating weird and wonderful bitters that are inspired by distinct cuisines from around the world. For the most part, the inventive brand has pulled it off, too, particularly with its umami-packed Togarashi bitters, spicy-sweet Jamaican Jerk bitters, and smoky Memphis Barbeque bitters. But as someone who's spent multiple years living in Thailand, I can safely say that The Bitter End's Thai bitters miss the mark.

Ever since my first visit to Thailand, I've experimented with cocktail recipes influenced by its cuisine's stunningly fragrant flavors. In fact, I'd thought these bitters might hold the secret to creating a delicious Thai-inspired cocktail, but I was sorely mistaken. Though they're a bit lemongrass-like and slightly spicy, they just don't capture the essence of Thai cuisine. I couldn't detect holy basil or ginger, and the kaffir lime notes were underwhelming.

Plus, while it might sound odd for a cocktail, I was hoping to experience some of those rich, savory notes associated with oyster or fish sauce — and was left disappointed. Since I ultimately had more success infusing gin and vodka with fresh Thai herbs and spices, go that route rather than buying these bitters from The Bitter Truth.

El Guapo makes some pretty extraordinary bitters. Unique flavors like crawfish boil, gumbo, and love potion have won the brand numerous awards, and I've always loved its barrel aged vanilla bitters in bourbon cocktails. Truthfully, the brand's summer berries bitters are probably the only ones I wouldn't buy again.

Now, you don't typically find many berry-flavored bitters, and El Guapo Summer Berries bitters demonstrate why. Unlike some fruits that have a distinctly sharp, bitter, or tart character, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries don't really stand out when used in bitters, and El Guapo hasn't figured out the secret (despite its glowing reputation). A few dashes make for a pleasant bitters and soda, but the flavors disappear when heavier ingredients get involved. There is a touch of baking spice character, but it's not pronounced enough to lift the berry notes and gets lost in drinks along with the fruit flavors.

In my experience, adding berry flavors to your cocktail via syrups, liqueurs, and fresh fruit is much more effective. If you need a less sweet option, infusing a spirit like gin with fresh berries is the way to go.

Miracle Mile's small-batch bitters are a testament to what a dedicated cocktail lover can achieve when they put their heart and soul into a product. Handcrafted using only the highest quality ingredients, its range features a winning combo of modern takes on classic flavors and unique experimental tinctures. But sometimes, being an innovator means you try something that doesn't quite work out — as is the case with these yuzu-flavored bitters.

Yuzu is a type of bitter hybrid citrus fruit with rich cultural ties to Japanese cuisine, and a flavor profile that falls somewhere between a lemon, orange, and grapefruit. While these bitters have a delightful aroma, they suffer from the same issue that other citrus bitters do — they're quickly lost in complex cocktails. Even spritzes can mask Miracle Mile's yuzu bitters' delicately fragrant character.

On that note, although it can be quite expensive, The Japanese Bitters yuzu tincture is a more robust alternative. Though they'll likely still disappear in strongly-flavored cocktails, they can be a nice touch in a whisky highball and light gin or vodka-based drinks.