Ingredients
- 15 ml Sambuca (Romana, Molinari)
- 15 ml Baileys Irish Cream
Instructions
- Pour the sambuca into a 30ml/1oz shot glass.
- Hold a bar spoon (or teaspoon) just above the surface of the sambuca, back of the spoon facing up.
- Slowly pour the Baileys over the spoon so it floats on top of the sambuca.
- Drink in one before the layers blend (about 60-90 seconds).
Notes
Where it came from
The Slippery Nipple is a UK pub-bar shot from the late 1970s and early 1980s. It came out of the same era that produced the B-52 and predates the dirty-named shot wave (Cocksucking Cowboy, Wet Pussy) by about 15 years. Some bars credit specific UK pubs; the recipe is too obvious to verify.
It became a global standard — every bar that serves shots knows how to make a Slippery Nipple. The recipe is two ingredients, equal parts, layered. Impossible to mess up.
What it tastes like
Sweet anise from the sambuca (think liquorice, but sweet rather than salty), then the creamy vanilla-Irish-whiskey landing of Baileys. The combination is dessert-shot-style — sweet, complex, smooth.
Layered correctly the sambuca sits on the bottom and the Baileys on top. The first sip is creamy; the last is anise. Drunk in one (the right way) you get all of it at once.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The sambuca
- Use
- Sambuca Romana, Molinari, or any clear Italian sambuca
- Try
- Black sambuca for a darker visual contrast
- Why
- Standard clear sambuca is the default. Black sambuca makes it look more dramatic.
The Baileys
- Use
- Original Baileys Irish Cream
- Skip
- Cheap Irish creams (curdle on contact with sambuca)
- Why
- Baileys is engineered not to curdle. Generic creams sometimes do.
The technique
- Use
- Layered with a bar spoon
- Skip
- Pre-mixing in a shaker (defeats the layering)
- Why
- The visual contrast and the sip-progression are the point.
Variations
Other layered creamy shots and sambuca-based shooters.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Anisette, ouzo, or any clear anise liqueur. The aniseed character is the point.
Carolans, Kerrygold, or any quality Irish cream. Cheap brands curdle.
Pour the Baileys slowly over the back of a regular teaspoon. Same physics.
Add a 5ml float of overproof rum on top. Now you have a Flaming Slippery Nipple.
Baileys Almande (almond-based) or any oat-cream-based Irish cream substitute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is a Slippery Nipple shot?
A Slippery Nipple is a layered shot of sambuca and Baileys Irish Cream, equal parts (15ml each) in a 30ml shot glass. Sambuca on the bottom, Baileys floated on top.
Why is it called a Slippery Nipple?
It’s 1980s UK pub-bar humour, slightly tame compared to the dirty-named shot wave that came after (Cocksucking Cowboy, Wet Pussy Shot). The name refers to the slippery layered texture.
How do you layer a Slippery Nipple?
Pour 15ml sambuca into a shot glass. Hold a bar spoon just above the surface, back of the spoon facing up. Pour 15ml Baileys slowly over the spoon. The Baileys is lighter and will sit on top.
Does the Baileys curdle in a Slippery Nipple?
Not noticeably. Sambuca isn’t acidic enough to curdle Baileys quickly. The shot is meant to be drunk within 60-90 seconds anyway, before any subtle texture change.
What does a Slippery Nipple taste like?
Sweet anise from sambuca, then creamy vanilla-Irish-whiskey from Baileys. Tastes like a liquorice-flavoured dessert shot.
How strong is a Slippery Nipple?
Around 27-28% ABV. Sambuca is 38%, Baileys is 17%. Stronger than the cream-based shots but lighter than a tequila or vodka shot.
Is a Slippery Nipple the same as a Buttery Nipple?
No, but they’re cousins. Buttery Nipple is butterscotch schnapps and Baileys. Slippery Nipple is sambuca and Baileys. Same Baileys top, different bottom.
When do you drink a Slippery Nipple?
Late at a pub crawl, after dinner as a dessert shot, or in a round when half the group wants something sweet. Don’t order it as your first drink — too sweet.
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