Cointreau is one of the most popular Triple Sec liqueurs and the most common choice in cocktails like the Margarita. It has an intense, pungent orange aroma, and a dry and rich orange taste with a high alcohol content of 40% ABV. But how can you best replace Cointreau if you don't have it at home?
If you don't have Cointreau around and can't get it, the overall best alternative is Combier Liqueur d'Orange. -Have a quick look at our winners here.
For more helpful information, read our recommendations for the best alternatives to Cointreau below. Each substitute has a short description and taste review to find the perfect replacement for your needs.Â
Jump to Combier | Grand Marnier Cordon Jaune | Le Favori | Patron Citrónge Orange | Paula's Texas Orange
Cointreau is a high-quality, triple-distilled, dry, colorless orange liqueur with an ABV of 40%, which is pretty high for liqueurs. And it is not as sweet as other fruit liqueurs. Quite the contrary, it is remarkably low in sugar. It's not the cheapest cocktail ingredient and often sells for $40 per bottle, more or less.
Its intense citrus flavor comes from the essential oils in the skin of bitter oranges. If you want to read more about Cointreau and its history, you can find everything you need to know in our guide to Cointreau.
You can find countless alternatives for orange-flavored liqueurs and Triple Sec on your local store shelves. But this list exclusively focuses on the very best substitutes for Cointreau.
Like with most substitutes, there's no overall perfect replacement. Some are best used for neat or chilled drinking, and others are very similar to Cointreau in cocktails. So, here are the best Cointreau substitutes.
The French brand Combier deserves the top spot on this short list. It is a fantastic Triple Sec and the liqueur that started it all. -Combier is the world's first Triple Sec and clocks in at 40% ABV.
Combier has a more subtle alcohol note and a less pronounced orange aroma. When sipping it straight or neat, you'll notice the difference. In cocktails, though, it's an excellent Cointreau substitute.
It's also significantly cheaper than Cointreau, so you save some bucks with every bottle.
Contrary to the more popular Cordon Rouge, Grand Marnier Jaune is a true Triple Sec and an ideal substitute for Cointreau when served chilled or neat.
It's transparent and has a fresh and clean taste with zesty orange notes. The balance of sweet and sour is just right, with some subtle spicy notes in the back.
Pricewise, it's an affordable alternative to Cointreau. The only downside is that you can only get it in Europe at the moment.
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Le Favori is another French brand and a much cheaper alternative to Cointreau. It's not as smooth, but at 40% vol. it works a treat in Triple Sec cocktails for a fraction of the price.
It has a fruity and orange-forward aroma that's very inviting. The taste of Le Favori Triple Sec is sweet and slightly spicy with intense and robust orange notes. It is also significantly drier than most other Triple Sec liqueurs, which makes its flavor profile very similar to Cointreau.
At only $12 per bottle, Le Favori is a real steal. One of the best substitutes for Cointreau overall, and probably the best budget-friendly alternative.Â
Patron specifically developed their Citrónge Orange Liqueur to use in Margarita cocktails. -No wonder the orange liqueur excels in this category. It has an intense and sharp orange scent with hints of tangerine. The taste is slightly sweet but at the same time dry with bold citrus notes.
The liqueur is tequila-based, which results in that nice tequila spice lingering in your mouth after every sip. The alcohol content is slightly lower at 35% compared to 40% in Cointreau, but you don't taste the difference in mixed drinks.
It is also slightly cheaper than Cointreau and sells for $34 per bottle of 750ml. If you're looking for a Cointreau alternative in Margaritas, that's your best option.
Like Tito's Handmade Vodka, the lady behind Paula's Texas Orange decided on corn as a base for their Triple Sec. Paula Angerstein is the second person - Tito was first- and the first woman to have gotten a distilling license in Texas. And she uses it well.Â
At 40% ABV, this Triple Sec is a sweet and unique alternative to Cointreau. It has a bright orange aroma with rich orange notes, with a hint of corn sweetness in the back.
| ABV | Price | Type | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combier Liqueur d'Orange | 40% | $31 | Triple Sec | Cocktails |
| Grand Marnier Cordon Jaune | 40% | $25 | Triple Sec | Sipping |
| Le Favori | 40% | $12 | Triple Sec | Budget-friendly alternative |
| Patron Citrónge Orange | 35% | $34 | Triple Sec | Margaritas |
| Paula's Texas Orange | 40% | $16 | Triple Sec | Unique taste |
Cointreau is stronger, drier, and cleaner in taste than most other Triple Sec. The term Triple Sec is only loosely regulated and comprises all kinds of orange liqueurs.
So, when grabbing the second-best Triple Sec in the supermarket, you might end up with something sweet and colorful, with an ABV well below 20%. -Less than half of what Cointreau contains. That works in some cases, but in others, it's not ideal.
I cannot give a general recommendation to replace Cointreau with Curaçao. The flavors already vary a lot within the category, and there's a notable difference between Cointreau and Curaçao.
For a more thorough comparison, read the article about Triple Sec vs. Curaçao.
Curaçao is another type of orange liqueur and the forerunner of Triple Sec. It's also flavored with the peels of bitter oranges growing on the island of Curaçao - hence, the name.
This liqueur is mainly known for its blue version, Blue Curaçao. It is used in iconic drinks like the Swimming Pool or the Blue Lagoon. Curaçao is not always blue, though. It can be orange, green, red, and also clear. And these colorless versions sometimes can work as a substitute for Cointreau - depending on your intentions.
Regular Grand Marnier - officially Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge- is a category of its own, as it is based on Cognac and not on sugar beet like Triple Sec. It's more complex in taste and therefore changes the flavor profile significantly when used as a Cointreau substitute.
The flavors of Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge are rich with notes of vanilla and toffee shining through. Also, the color is darker and of deep amber which won't work well visually with some cocktail recipes. Depending on what you plan to do with it, Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge can be a valid option. To learn more, read this comparison of Cointreau and Grand Marnier.
There's also a clear version called Grand Marnier Cordon Jaune that is very similar to Cointreau. It's a regular, see-through Triple Sec without the addition of Cognac. You can find it ranking on second place in our list of the best Cointreau substitutes.
The main difference between Cointreau and Grand Marnier is that Cointreau is a classic Triple Sec, and Grand Marnier is a blend of Triple Sec and Cognac. The addition of Cognac makes Grand Marnier more expensive, but also more complex in flavor. You can use Grand Marnier as an upgrade for Cointreau in a cocktail.
Here's a detailed comparison of Cointreau vs. Grand Marnier.
Here's a breakdown of the two orange-flavored liqueurs highlighting the differences in taste, color, alcohol content, and price.
You can read everything about Cointreau here.
You can read all about Grand Marnier here.
The taste of Cointreau is cleaner, crisper, and slightly more straightforward than Grand Marnier. Grand Marnier, on the other hand, scores high on the palate with its softer, more complex notes from Cognac. However, they're similar enough to substitute one for the other in cocktail recipes.
The different flavor profiles of the two orange liqueurs make it relatively easy to decide when to use Cointreau and when to use Grand Marnier.
Cointreau and Grand Marnier are both high-proof liqueurs with an intense orange flavor that originate in France. Both use the peels of pre-mature bitter oranges because their essential oils are responsible for the intense citric fragrance and taste.
Another thing Grand Marnier and Cointreau have in common is that they were invented around the same time: Both in the mid to late-1800s, Cointreau about five years earlier. And that's already it in terms of similarities.
Still, both products often come up in connection to Triple Sec - a type of orange liqueur. However, this is only partly correct. Grand Marnier does not belong in that category as it is a cross between Triple Sec and Cognac.
Initially, Grand Marnier was called Marnier Curaçao, which clearly shows that it is not a Triple Sec. While Cointreau, on the other hand, is a premium Triple Sec and had it written on the label of their bottle once.
The base of Cointreau is sugar beet like it usually is for Triple Sec, and it is a colorless liqueur. In contrast, Grand Marnier is based on barrel-aged Cognac, and the resulting liqueur is of dark amber color. The barrel-aging also leads to a richer and more complex flavor profile in comparison to Cointreau.
Thus, Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge is perfect for sipping on the rocks as an aperitif, whereas Cointreau is better suited for mixed drinks. - Having said that, Grand Marnier is also an excellent cocktail ingredient.
The clean and fresh flavor profile in Cointreau makes this orange liqueur a versatile and popular cocktail ingredient.
For even more recipes check out this list of the best Cointreau cocktails.
The more complex flavors in Grand Marnier are great for mixing full-bodied cocktails.
Also, you can often use Grand Marnier as somewhat of an upgrade in complexity in cocktails that call for Triple Sec or Cointreau. That gives the drinks a warmer note and more complexity.
The two orange liqueurs have their similarities, but ultimately, they're interestingly different when it comes to taste and flavor profile. They're far from being the same. Yet still, many cocktail recipes work with both, and you can use them interchangeably.
So, you got a bottle of Cointreau and are unsure what to do with it? We have plenty of ideas for great Cointreau cocktails.
The tasty orange liqueur is a specific type of Triple Sec with a beautiful citrus scent and an intense orange flavor. It's best-known for being part of classics like the Margarita or Cosmopolitan, but you can use it in many more cocktail recipes.
The Margarita is a member of the Daisy cocktails family. Drinks in this category are typically made of a spirit base, citrus juice, and a liqueur to sweeten the drink.
A proper Margarita is made of Tequila, fresh and tangy lime juice, and Cointreau. Of course, you shouldn't forget about the obligatory salt rim. If that recipe is too tart for you, add a dash of simple syrup or agave nectar to your mixed drink.
The Margarita heavily relies on the Tequila base. In case you need inspiration, here's our list of the best Tequilas for Margaritas. VIEW RECIPE
The Mai Tai is one of the most famous Tiki cocktails out there. And despite often being served in a cheap and juicy version at hotels and resorts, a well-made Mai Tai is a pretty sophisticated drink.
Rum, Cointreau, lime juice, and orgeat create a fantastic and complex drink, just sweet enough to balance the citric notes. And a float of aged Rum on top makes your Mai Tai even better. VIEW RECIPE
The Cosmopolitan cocktail, or Cosmo, became world-famous during the 1990s. As the go-to cocktail of cult TV series "Sex and the City" the drink quickly became a favorite not only on TV.
The mix of Citroen Vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, and lime juice tastes light and refreshing.
As a Martini-type drink, the Cosmo is typically served in a Martini glass garnished with a lime wheel or lime peel. VIEW RECIPE
The Lemon Drop follows a similar template to the Margarita: A spirit base mixed with citrus juice and sweetened with a liqueur, in this case, Cointreau.
But instead of Tequila, the drink is based on Vodka and freshly squeezed replaces the lime.The drink also features a rimmed glass. But unlike the salty rim of a Margarita, the Lemon Drop cocktail is rimmed with sugar.
There are many riffs and variations on the lemon drop cocktail. Most of them bring in additional fruity flavors from berries. VIEW RECIPE
The Mimosa cocktail does not ask for Cointreau in its classic version. However, the addition of the orange-flavored liqueur adds a bit of complexity. Add a splash of Cointreau to the classic combination of Champagne and freshly squeezed orange juice for a nice twist and a slightly higher ABV of the drink. VIEW RECIPE
During a long night out, when you feel exhausted, the Corpse Reviver No 2 is a nice way to bring you back to life. Indeed, the drink was designed to be a hangover cure, hence the name.
Different versions of Corpse Reviver cocktails have existed on bar menus since the 1850s, but only a few variations did survive until today. The Corpse Reviver No 2 is the most popular of them all.
The mix of Dry Gin, Cocchi Americano, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice, and two dashes of Absinthe is the most flavorful representative of the Corpse Revivers. VIEW RECIPE
The Singapore Sling is a fruity and complex cocktail made with Gin. Reportedly, the cocktail was invented at Raffles hotel in Singapore back in 1915. Today, it seems every bar has its own take on this classic. Even the bar at Raffles hotel, the "Long Bar" serves this cocktail in two different ways:
One is a more traditional recipe called the "The Raffles 1915 Gin Sling". It is made with an exclusive Gin from Sipsmith - the Sipsmith Raffles 1915 Gin.
The second version is a more modern recipe, including a housemade Grenadine and a Dry Curacao liqueur. Our recipe replaces Dry Curacao with Grand Marnier, but using Cointreau in this beautiful drink is just as good. VIEW RECIPES
The Between the Sheets is a drink closely related to the Sidecar cocktail. It's less known, yet the bright and tangy flavors make for a delicious cocktail.
It's a split-base cocktail based on Cognac and White Rum. Fresh lemon juice and Cointreau balance the flavors and bring the drink to life. The inventor of the drink was Harry MacElhone, a legendary bartender. VIEW RECIPE
The White Lady cocktail is a classic drink from the 1910s. Just like the Between the Sheets, the drink was invented by bar legend Harry MacElhone.
The drink made from Gin, fresh lemon juice, and Cointreau is also a member of the Daisy cocktail family. Another ingredient that's often added to a White Lady is egg white. However, I think this drink also shines without the frothy extra. VIEW RECIPE
The Sidecar cocktail is one of the most famous classic cocktails. The forerunner of the Between the Sheets cocktail includes VSOP Cognac, Cointreau, lemon juice, and just a dash of Angostura bitters.
The Sidecar often sports a sugar rim. Ideally, you use superfine sugar as it looks better and sticks nicely to the glass. Also, if you're into Cognac and Brandy drinks, check out these Brandy cocktail recipes. VIEW RECIPE
This list isn't complete without the Mezcal Margarita. The Mezcal base adds a beautiful smoky touch to the established recipe.
Other than the base, the recipe is identical to the classic Margarita. But you can also spice this drink up by adding some jalapeno slices. Or you apply a spicy Tajin rim instead of the regular salt rim. VIEW RECIPE
The Long Island Ice Tea is a drink with a bad reputation. Though, when made the right way, this boozy cocktail is far from being inferior.
Gin, Tequila, Vodka, Rum, Cointreau, lemon juice, coke, and simple syrup all go into the drink. And even though the list of ingredients is long, the flavors in the cocktail are well balanced. VIEW RECIPE
Coconut cream, coconut milk, and a splash of Coconut Rum. This is what makes the White Christmas Margarita Punch a surprisingly tropical version of a festive cocktail.
The result is a rich and creamy Tequila drink that undoubtedly looks stunning.
The cranberries and the rosemary sprig are quite effective in supporting the Christmasy impression. Still, they are just the supporting act for garnish. The real star and the main ingredient of this festive Tequila cocktail is, naturally, coconut.
The classic Margarita recipe and most summer variations of this cocktail call for a crisp and fresh Tequila Blanco.
For the Christmas version, however, an Añejo is a much better fit. It is milder and softer in flavor, with warm caramel and vanilla aromas.
For example, the 1800 Añejo, produced by José Cuervo or the Patrón Añejo (a little more pricey), two of the most renowned Tequila producers, are both excellent choices.
Due to its milky white, the cocktail itself already does look quite festive. The addition of floating cranberries and a rosemary sprig truly ignite those Christmas vibes.
Yet, while the cranberries are edible, better treat the rosemary like a non-consumable garnish and leave it aside.
To create the impression of little snowflakes, you can consider rimming your glasses with coconut flakes. Very much in the style of a proper Margarita drink. By that, you can round off the Christmas theme and elevate the visuals of the drink.
Christmas is an excellent occasion to serve some extraordinary cocktails. Two of our favorites are our Christmas Spiced Rum Sour, made with a special homemade Christmas syrup, and this tasty Christmas Old Fashioned.Â
But there are many more beautiful festive recipes. In case you're looking for more inspiration, check out this list with other favorite Christmas cocktails.
The White Christmas Margarita Punch is a brilliant fit for the festive season, but I quickly want to mention some other must-try Tequila cocktails, as well. Not winter-themed, but still delicious, also during the cold season.
For instance, the Tommy's Margarita, or if you like more fruity, grapefruit-forward drinks, there are the Paloma or the Cantarito. For more drinks featuring the popular agave spirit, you can check out our overview of the best Tequila Cocktails.
Often served in a sugar-rimmed Martini glass, the Lemon Drop is mostly perceived as a modern take on the classic Vodka Martini. -Hence, the name. Yet, when taking a closer look at the recipe, it has more similarities with other classic cocktails like the White Lady.
Regardless of what you compare it to, the contemporary drink was a tremendous success in the recent past.
It has reached enough popularity for talk show host, Oprah Winfrey, to serve it in one of her shows. Now, Oprah might or might not be an indicator of a good drink, this definitely shows how popular the recipe has become.
The Lemon Drop Martini is a tangy blend made with three citric elements and a dash of sugar syrup to balance the acidity:
Here are a few pro tips and tricks to get the most out of your Lemon Drop Cocktail. If you follow our suggestions, your drink is sure to be a winner:
First, you should chill your glass in the freezer or the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes. This cocktail is served straight up - without ice- and you want it to keep a cool temperature for as long as possible.
This is also why you should serve it in a martini glass in the first place. You and your guests can hold the glass on the stem. Thus, don't warm up the contents while drinking.
Further, make sure to use fresh lemon juice. That's absolutely vital and non-negotiable if you want a great cocktail.
Also, should you decide to sugar-rim your glass, do that a couple of minutes before mixing your Lemon Drop to give the sugar some time to dry. Consider only putting sugar on half the rim, so not everyone has to swallow sugar crystals if they don't want to.
A very successful variation of this drink is the Lavender Lemon Drop Martini. It has a beautiful purple color and a floral taste. Other versions add fresh, muddled, crushed, puréed, or frozen berries to the base formula or berry-flavored liqueurs. Sometimes, these fruity versions sport a colorful and flavored sugar rim to improve presentation.
Norman Jay Hobday, a former Vietnam veteran, invented the recipe for the Lemon Drop Martini in the 70s in his bar in San Francisco.
Hobday started his new career as a bar owner in 1969 when he opened Henry Africa's Bar in SFC. His place was the first so-called fern bar, decorated with house plants (mostly fern) and fake Tiffany lamps.
The bar became an instant hot spot, and the fern bar was quickly a household name in the region. It was there that Hobday invented the Lemon Drop cocktail. Like the fern bar concept, the cocktail spread across the region like wildfire.
Most likely, the cocktail got its name from lemon drop candy. Plus, the hype surrounding the tart drink led to a shot version. -Itself a frequent order during the 90s.
If you like creative approaches to the traditional concept of a Martini, how about:
All these twists of the Lemon Drop are commonly regarded as a type of Martini, even though that definition may be up for discussion since the only two commonalities are the vodka and the glass.
The Cosmopolitan Cocktail or "Cosmo" became world-famous thanks to the cult series "Sex and the City". The cranberry-flavored sip was the favorite of Carrie Bradshaw, the main character.
It didn't take long to gain traction outside the TV show. Regardless of whether you were or weren't a fan - there was no getting away from the Cosmopolitan Cocktail. No bartending shift was complete without preparing dozens for thirsty customers.
Quick Facts Cosmopolitan Cocktail
During its peak in popularity, you could find countless riffs on the classic Cosmopolitan recipe. Today, the massive hype has faded, yet, the drink still is a staple on bar menus.
You need no more than four ingredients to make a fantastic Cosmopolitan Cocktail:
Being a Martini-type drink, the Cosmo usually comes straight up in a stemmed glass. To make it perfect, follow these simple steps:
The Cosmo first popped up sometime in the mid to late 80s. Who invented it is not 100% certain, though. Most sources credit one of three different bartenders as possible inventors of this 90s classic:
Number one is Dale DeGroff according to New York Magazine. They once claimed he created the first Cosmopolitan during his tenure at the bar Rainbow Room in NYC.
Others name NYC bartender Toby Cecchini with the invention of the cranberry-based recipe. Even if he wasn't, Cecchini for sure was one of the accelerators of the cocktail's success.
Finally, according to legendary barkeeper Gary Regan, the initial creator was someone else entirely. Gary Regan was a true master of mixology and had a column in the San Francisco Chronicle. According to him, bartender Cheryl Cook made the first version of the cocktail in 1985 in Miami South Beach, served in a Martini glass.
The latter two found further support in the early 2000s when Dale DeGroff himself stated he definitely did not invent the Cosmopolitan. But he admitted that he sees himself as one of the key actors:
What I did do was popularize a definitive recipe that became widely accepted as the standard.
Dale DeGroff, "The Craft of the Cocktail" (2002)
Either way, the cocktail had everything a drink needed in this era. Vodka cocktails were everywhere, and incorporating cranberry juice in cocktails has never been as popular as it used to be in the 90s.
If you want some inspiration on how else to make use of the ingredients you got for this Cosmopolitan Cocktail recipe, here are some ideas:
As fancy as it looks, the Tequila Sunrise Cocktail isn't exactly appreciated by everyone. By adjusting the measurements, using fresh ingredients, and adding some extra elements, you can get the most out of this 70s classic.
Quick Facts Tequila Sunrise Cocktail
If you want to make a pleasant version of the Tequila Sunrise by today's mixology standards, we have the formula that delivers just that.
The Tequila Sunrise is uncomplicated and easy to make. You don't even really need a shaker - although I recommend using one for our recipe. With our extended list of ingredients, you bring more complexity to this often one-dimensional, sweet drink:
Unless you're into cocktails that are overly sweet and taste like sugary juice, the original Tequila Sunrise is not the best choice. With our tips and tricks, you can improve your drink significantly.
Already by extending the original three-ingredient recipe of grenadine, orange juice, and tequila by lime, triple sec, and creme de cassis, you get a drink that's way more suitable for today's palates.
Another important thing is to use freshly squeezed juices and to cool down all ingredients properly. So if you build your drink in the glass, all components should be ice cold.
If you follow our suggestions and combine orange, lime, tequila, and triple sec in the shaker, use plenty of ice cubes and shake for 15 seconds.
And last but not least, serve your Tequila Sunrise over fresh, large ice cubes. Large quality ice cubes will melt slower, and your drink won't water down so fast.
The Tequila Sunrise recipe as we drink it today is far from the historical original. It was mixed for the first time in the 1930s by a bartender called Gene Sulit at Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona.
Back then, there was neither grenadine nor orange juice on the list of ingredients. Instead, the drink was a blend of tequila, crème de cassis, lime juice, and soda water.
Over 40 years later, bartender Bobby Lozoff reinvented the Tequila Sunrise Cocktail and invented today's commonly applied three-ingredient recipe with tequila, orange juice, and grenadine.
Yet, if it hadn't been for Mick Jagger, we probably would have one less controversial party drink. But from the beginning:
Lozoff worked at the Trident in Sausalito, CA, when he developed the Tequila Sunrise. And to kick off the Rolling Stones Tour in 1972, Mick Jagger and his colleagues had a private party at this location.
Of course, Mick Jagger had the chance to try the Tequila Sunrise. He apparently enjoyed it so much that he kept ordering one at every stop in the US - during the whole tour.
Later on, Mick Jagger even named the tour "The Cocaine and Tequila Sunrise Tour".
At the time, the Trident Bar was the largest outlet for Mexican Tequila in the US. As soon as Jose Cuervo, a leading tequila producer, heard about the success of the Tequila Sunrise Cocktail in 1973, they boosted the hype by printing the recipe on the back of their bottles. That made the victory march of the Tequila Sunrise unstoppable.
In the same year, another rock band, the Eagles, contributed to the success, as well, by releasing a song called "Tequila Sunrise".
In retrospect, it's no wonder the drink is still known by so many, despite often being somewhat underwhelming.
The pretty impressive visual presentation and the countrywide hype made everyone believe that this is something you have to try - and like. So people liked it, at least for a while.
The world of mixology wouldn't be the same without Cointreau. It's a clear liqueur infused with the peels of oranges. And it also is one of the most frequently used ingredients and part of many classic cocktail recipes.
Yet, apart from the name, most people don't know too much about the orange-flavored Liqueur from France.
In a nutshell, Cointreau (pronounced "kwaan-troh") is a specific type of Triple Sec. It's a strong, intense orange-flavored, and colorless liqueur from France. The powerful orange aroma comes from the essential oils in the peel of premature oranges.
The base alcohol has a neutral flavor and is obtained from sugar beets. With 80 proof, translating to 40% ABV, Cointreau has the equal-proof Vodka in the US.
It's a premium product and typically the preferred choice when using Triple Sec. However, there's a large selection of substitutes for Cointreau.
Cointreau has a bitter-sweet orange flavor with a remarkably intensive zesty and fresh citrus aroma. Because it is so low in sugar and heavy in alcohol, the liqueur is surprisingly alcoholic and dry.
Nothing comparable existed when Cointreau's Triple Sec hit the market in the mid-1800s. Due to their meticulous production process, they created a product three times more concentrated in flavor than any other orange liqueur at the time.
Cointreau is best when served chilled. Either on the rocks as a digestif, in a light aperitif cocktail, or in classic cocktails like a Margarita or Sidecar.
In rare cases, it is also served neat. However, the aroma and taste of the liqueur in this case is particularly intense. If this is too much for you, you can also add ice cubes afterward to mute the flavors.
In cocktails and mixed drinks, Cointreau functions as a flavor amplifier adding balance, depth, and freshness while bringing out the flavors of the other ingredients.
Cointreau uses the green peel of premature sweet and bitter oranges for their Triple Sec. After carefully selecting the oranges, they hand-peel and dry those peels in the sun for three to five days.
The brand explains that doing this process by hand is crucial because the thickness and shape of the peels play an important role in the production of their orange liqueur. -They must dry evenly until they all reach a moisture content of 11%.
Once the peels are dry enough, Cointreau's master distiller ensures that the ratio of sweet to dry peels is perfect. Needless to say, the exact composition and recipe are a secret.
Neutral alcohol, the peels, sugar, and water then go together in the pot of a column copper still. In there, the peels rehydrate again for a few hours before the mash gets distilled three times. After a quality check, the finished product is filled into the iconic orange, rectangular bottle.
Due to its high alcohol content, Cointreau won't turn bad. However, aroma and flavors will fade over time. Opened bottles will last for approximately two years and unopened bottles for around five years or up to ten years. The exact shelf life is hard to predict as this always depends on how the bottle is stored and many other circumstances that make it impossible to give a general answer to this question.
In 1857, the Cointreau brothers made their first orange liqueur named Cointreau. Back then, Cointreau was an aperitif or digestif, something you drink neat before or after a meal. But these days, Cointreau is more famous for its use in cocktails.
In 1849, the brothers Adolphe and Edouard-Jean Cointreau created their first liqueur and established the brand and distillery Cointreau.
However, that first one wasn't the famous orange liqueur but a cherry liqueur called Guignolet. They expanded and produced liqueur from all kinds of fruit.
Still, it took until 1875, when the son of Edouard joined the company, that this product got more attention. And after improving on working on the recipe for ten more years, the first bottle of Cointreau Triple Sec saw the light of day.
One of the most common alternatives to Cointreau is Grand Marnier cordon rouge. The biggest difference between the two orange liqueurs is that Cointreau is a true Triple Sec and Grand Marnier is a blend of Cognac and orange liqueur.
Flavorwise, Cointreau is fresher, brighter, and more intense, whereas Grand Marnier has a richer yet more mellow flavor profile. Check out how Cointreau compares to Grand Marnier in our in-depth article about the differences of these two orange liqueurs.
Cointreau is a premium product within the category of Triple Sec liqueurs. Triple Sec is a generic term for an orange-flavored liqueur that usually contains between 15% and 40% ABV. It's made with sun-dried bitter and sweet orange peels that get macerated for at least 24 hours before being distilled.
Also, Triple Sec needs to get distilled three times, a so-called triple distillation process. "Sec" is a French term translating to "dry", but it's also the word for "distilled". So the Triple Sec literally means triple-distilled.
If you want to know more about this category of orange liqueur in general, you can read about Triple Sec here.
Curaçao and Triple Sec are closely related. Curaçao is, in fact, the forerunner of Triple Sec and, therefore, of Cointreau. So, the French version was inspired by the orange liqueur invented by the Dutch. In terms of flavor, both types are similar but not the same. Still, you can substitute one for the other. If you want to know more about the differences and similarities, read this comparison of Triple Sec and Curaçao.
Curaçao got its name from the Caribbean island of Curaçao, part of the ABC islands. Spanish sailors found the island and brought oranges with them because they wanted to make use of the Caribbean sun.
Fast forward a little, the Dutch East Indian Company took possession of Curaçao and, of course, the oranges. They quickly discovered that the fruits were way too bitter and inedible.
However, the oranges were intensely fragrant, and the Dutch started making liqueur with the peels from the fruits. This liqueur is Curaçao, with its most popular representative being Blue Curaçao.
Cointreau is part of countless drinks. Many of them are among the most popular cocktails of our time. Drinks like the Margarita, Mai Tai, Cosmopolitan, or the Long Island Ice Tea all contain the orange-flavored liqueur.
And the reason for this is simple. Cointreau brings a lot of things to your cocktails: It is bitter, sweet, fresh, citrusy, and contains quite some alcohol. A perfect ingredient to balance drinks, especially when combined with another citrus component like lemon or lime juice.
I personally love Cointreau. It's not cheap, but it works exceptionally well in mixed drinks. It certainly is an essential cocktail ingredient for every home bar.
Now, if you want more inspiration, here's a list of our favorite cocktails made with Cointreau.
Cointreau is a premium Triple Sec brand and one of the most-used Triple Sec in cocktails. Due to its high alcohol content and low amount of sugar, it has an intense and rather dry flavor profile. It's best when served chilled as an aperitif, digestif, or part of a cocktail.
Corpse Revivers have a long tradition, as you can already guess from the #2 in the name. Since the mid-1800s, Corpse Revivers have been on bar menus across the USA. And the Corpse Reviver No. 2 is one delicious version of it.
The Corpse Reviver #2 widely gets accepted as the best-tasting drink amongst the Corpse Reviver drinks. It's a perfectly balanced yet still quite boozy cocktail. And an evergreen that surely won't go out of fashion anytime soon.
Although you would expect a drink meant to cure a hangover is low in ABV to non-alcoholic, the Corpse Reviver No. 2 is far from that.
The original cocktail contains Gin, orange liqueur, and Kina Lillet - a French fortified wine, similar to Vermouth. And to create a rounded and perfectly balanced drink, it also includes zesty fresh lemon juice and a dash of Absinthe.
Basically, the Corpse Reviver No. 2 is a classic sour cocktail based on Gin. A mix supposed to be so bold and boozy it could bring you back to life no matter how poor shape you are in. The drink became famous because Harry Craddock mentioned it in his Savoy Cocktail Book.
Craddock recommended the Corpse Reviver No. 2 cocktail "to be taken before 11 a.m., or whenever steam and energy are needed". -A drink you can order anytime to get your groove on.
The original recipe asked for equal parts Gin, orange liqueur, Kina Lillet, lemon juice, and Absinthe. A simple Dry Gin is the best type of Gin for this drink. For the orange liqueur, I like to use Cointreau. So far, so easy. Now, we're getting to the tricky part.
Kina Lillet is no longer available, so bartenders started to replace it with Lillet Blanc. This choice is obvious, considering that producers of Lillet themselves replaced Kina Lillet with Lillet Blanc.
But there's a problem with this: Lillet Blanc is significantly sweeter than the traditional Kina Lillet. Viewed isolated, that would not be such a big deal.
However, the additional sweetness affects the taste notably when used in a cocktail. It's definitely going to be different from what you originally intended.
Therefore, if Lillet Blanc is too sweet for your palate, try Cocchi Americano instead. Cocchi Americano is a dry Italian Vermouth. It is used in many cocktail recipes and closer to the taste of Kina Lillet.
The known part of the history of the Corpse Reviver started in the 1870s. Quite possibly, the general formula has been around for longer.
Back in 1871, a recipe called Corpse Reviver got published in the "Gentleman's Table Guide" written by Ricket and Thomas. The drink consisted of one part Brandy, one part Maraschino liqueur, and two dashes of cocktail bitters.
As you can see, that is far from the ingredients featured in today's Corpse Reviver No. 2. And subsequently, other recipes were published in 1875 and 1903 under the name Corpse Reviver or Criterion Reviver.
It wasn't until the Savoy Cocktail Book, published in 1930, that these Corpse Reviver drinks gained popularity. And sure enough, this popular cocktail book did include a Corpse Reviver No.1 and a Corpse Reviver No. 2.
The first version, or Corpse Reviver No. 1, is closer to the initial recipe from 1871. It asked for two parts of Cognac, one part Calvados, and one part Italian Vermouth. The second recipe pretty much was what we know now as Corpse Reviver No. 2.
Like many Prohibition-era cocktails, the Corpse Reviver No. 2 faded into obscurity over the decades. It was only revived during the 80s when bartenders looked to history for inspiration.
As I mentioned, there also is a Corpse Reviver #1. It contains two parts Cognac, one part Calvados, and one part Sweet Vermouth.
If you get this drink without ice, it may be diluted with a splash of water. If you get it over ice, that will make for enough dilution, so adding water becomes superfluous.
Also, for the Corpse Reviver #2, there's an alternate recipe called the Corpse Reviver #2A. This slightly adjusted formula has sprung out of the mind of the famous Trader Vic, inventor of the Mai Tai cocktail.
When Kina Lillet was no longer available, he replaced it with Swedish Punsch. The drink wasn't named "2A" initially. Bars started to use this naming to distinguish between the classic and the modified recipe.
Other popular Corpse Reviver drinks are, for instance, the Criterion Reviver and the Cafe Royal Reviver. All of these Reviver drinks follow very different recipes that oftentimes appear rather unrelated.
The Long Island Iced Tea, short LIT, is a classic and one of the most ordered drinks. That, however, also has its downsides in that the drink has quite a negative image because it often gets served in a not-so-classic way.
The original recipe is at least nearly as its reputation, yes. Yet, it's not as sickly sweet as the versions you can get at a college bar.
Now, time to get your shaker out and get ready to mix the best version of this misunderstood prohibition classic.
The key to making great cocktails is using great products. One of the biggest problems of overly sweet LITs is the lack of quality ingredients masked by sugar and citrus. To make an authentic, delicious Long Island Iced Tea, you'll need:
That's quite an extensive and alcohol-heavy list that turns into a dazzling cocktail when done right. If you keep these recommendations in mind and use the right ratios, your Long Island will be a delight.
Making a LIT is not very hard. The main things to consider are the same as for numerous other cocktails:
What you'll get then is a super intense cocktail that's well-balanced.
Further, the Long Island Cocktail is very easy and convenient to make as it is built in glass. All you need is a highball glass, a jigger, and a bar spoon.
The Long Island Iced Tea is a drink with countless variations. In fact, there are so many that it is hard to keep track of all of them.
Therefore, here's an overview of the most important ones (this list is not exhaustive):
Yes, it does get you drunk quickly. However, not for the reason you might think. When you look at the average ABV of a LIT, it clocks in at around 18%. That's not low but still far from what we consider a high-proof cocktail.
For comparison, vintage classics like the Manhattan or the Old Fashioned reach a whopping 25% and more. Of course, the drink size is a lot smaller than for the Long Island.
Thus, let's look at the alcohol intake in grams per serving. It's about 24 grams for the LIT, and surprisingly enough, it's the same for a standard-sized Manhattan Cocktail. So, where does this knock-out reputation come from?
The answer is that a Long Island Iced Tea is incredibly easy to drink. You can barely taste the alcohol and usually drink this cocktail way too fast.
Now, one more thing: if you believe that sugar speeds up the process as well, you're mistaken. Sugar actually slows down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.
Even though LIIT seems to be the correct abbreviation at first, LIT is way more common.
First, it's about ease of use and pronunciation. Second, "Long Island" is technically one noun. Considering this, shortening it to LIT is not only easier to say, but also accurate.
The origin of the Long Island Iced Tea most likely lies in Kingsport, Tennessee. A guy named Charlie Old Man Bishop made the first version of what we know today as Long Island Iced Tea.
Living in his community named "Long Island" in Kingsport, he created this boozy cocktail during prohibition. The cocktail was supposed to look like a regular serve of Iced Tea and not like a boozy afternoon drink, hence the name.
Later, the recipe was refined by his son Ransom Bishop. The result was a mix of Whiskey, maple syrup, and five other liquors of different quantities.
Here's Ransom's formula to give you an idea of what the original version looked like:
Over time the recipe continued to change until we got today's well-balanced version of the Long Island Iced Tea, nearly as potent as in the traditional cocktail.
Here's also a clip of the grand daughter of Charlie Bishop, talking about his famous prohibition creation: