Liqueurs are a type of alcoholic beverage that can really upgrade your bar. Often ingredients in mixed cocktails they can also be enjoyed on their own. Typically quite sweet many liqueurs have fruity flavors while others can be more herbal or even bitter. Most of us don’t spend much time perusing the liquor aisle at the liquor store and it can be confusing to know what they are and when to use them. This bottle guide can help demystify the liquor aisle.
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A Guide to Orange Liqueurs: Triple Sec Curacao Cointreau?
If you’ve ever tried to make a margarita you’ve probably come across triple sec. It’s a type of orange liqueur that’s a staple ingredient in many cocktails. It’s usually clear in color and sweet in taste with a strong orange flavor. The name “triple sec” comes from the French word sec which means dry. It’s an umbrella term and many brands make triple sec that range from cheap to quite expensive and have an alcohol content of 15 percent to as much as 40 percent. Depending on the brand that orange flavor can be more natural or artificial purely sweet or slightly bitter.
Cointreau and Grand Marnier are perhaps the best-known variations of orange liqueur and both are specific brand names. Cointreau is essentially a triple sec. These more elevated versions of orange liqueur cost a little more and have a slightly more refined flavor palette than your average triple sec.
Cointreau is an internationally recognized brand and the triple sec of choice for many classic cocktails. Cointreau originated in France in the late 1800s and won a medal at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair bringing it into the consciousness of Americans. Since then the attractive dark rectangular bottle with the orange stripe has been a fixture on the shelves of cocktail bars around the world.
