Triple sec should not be missing in any well-stocked home bar. It's a vital ingredient in traditional and modern cocktail recipes.
The French citrus-flavored liqueur, aromatized with the peels of bitter oranges, adds depth of flavor and complexity to a drink. And that is why countless famous cocktails like the Margarita and the Cosmo rely on it. But there are many more triple sec cocktails try.
The Top Cocktails with Triple Sec
So, here's the list of our 13 favorite triple sec cocktails to try. Well, one is a shot actually, but an evergreen, and always a good option if you have some orange liqueur handy.
1. Classic Margarita
The classic Margarita is one of the most famous representatives of cocktails made with triple sec. It's fresh, boozy, tangy, and a real crowd-pleaser.
2. Cosmopolitan
The Cosmo is another triple sec cocktail classic that was particularly huge in the 80s and 90s. Not least thanks to the famous TV Series Sex and the City. The drink hasn't lost its glamour and is still one of the favorites. The beautiful mix of vodka, lime, cranberry juice, and triple sec will never get out of fashion.
3. Corpse Reviver No. 2
The Corpse Reviver is intended to bring you back from the "dead" when you had a tough night. Ideally, you should drink it before 11am. -At least that's what the famous Savoy Cocktail Book once recommended. Personally, I rather have a Corpse Reviver around 11pm. -But that's up to you, I suppose. Either way, the blend of gin, Lillet, absinthe, triple sec, and lemon juice is a delight.
4. Mezcal Margarita
If you want to try an alternative while still close to character of the classic lime-tequila-triple sec combination but with a little smokiness, you try a Mezcal Margarita.
5. Lemon Drop Martini
The Martini is another immensely popular and celebrated cocktail classic. For this citrussy riff, we replace vermouth with triple sec, a dash of fresh lemon juice, and a splash of simple syrup. Et voila, you've got a beautiful Lemon Drop Martini. For more Martini variations, you can check out the overview of the different types of Martini.
6. Lynchburg Lemonade
Not quite as glamorous as the Cosmo, but no less delicious is the Lynchburg lemonade. It's a drink mixed with Bourbon, triple sec, lemon juice, simple syrup, and lemon-and-lime soda. Tony Mason was the one who invented Lynchburg Lemonade in 1980, but Jack Daniels brought it to international fame.
7. Mango Margarita
You can also add some fruits to the classic Margarita formula and turn some fresh mangos into a beautiful Margarita cocktail, perfect for a summer fest.
8. White Christmas Margarita Punch
Should you be looking for a winter recipe, do the opposite and create a stunning winter cocktail with triple sec with this White Christmas Margarita Punch.
9. Sidecar Cocktail
The Sidecar is one of our overall favorites from the pre-prohibition area. It was invented in Paris, most likely sometime during WWI. It is a classy composition of high-quality cognac, triple sec, fresh lemon juice, and Angostura bitters.
10. Between the Sheets
The Between the Sheets actually is a riff on the Sidecar Cocktail. Like the Sidecar, this drink has its origins in the heart of France, in Paris. It was invented by Harry MacElhone, a prominent bartender who created various of today's classic triple sec cocktail recipes.
11. The White Lady Cocktail
The White Lady cocktail is an elegant combination of gin, triple sec, and lemon juice. and another of the cocktails created by Harry MacElhone. This improved version was regularly served at his famous Harry's New York Bar in Paris but he came up with the idea recipe while working at Ciro's Club in London.
12. Long Island Iced Tea
The Long Island Iced Tea is a mix of vodka, tequila, rum, triple sec, lemon juice, simple syrup, and coke. It was born during prohibition and, since then, has become one of the most-served drinks in many parts of the world. The drink has a reputation of being low quality and too sweet, but when done right, the Long Island is, in fact, a great cocktail made with triple sec.
13. B-52
Not a cocktail, but one of the most ordered shots is the B-52. The layered shot consists of Baileys, Kahlúa, and Grand Marnier - a triple sec based on Brandy.
About Triple Sec
Triple sec refers to a type of orange-flavored liqueur originally from France. It's colorless and commonly has an alcohol content of between 20 and 40%.
The taste of triple sec is very citrusy and orange-forward. That fragrant and strong orange aroma comes from infusing a neutral base spirit with the peels of premature oranges. -Similar to Curaçao.
The still-green skin of the oranges contains highly concentrated essential oils that transfer into the spirit. And the result of this infusion then gets distilled three times - hence the name triple sec.
Initially, the liqueur was intended to be consumed as a digestif after a meal. Yet, once mixology discovered it, heaps of beautiful cocktails with the orange liqueur came up.
If you want to know more beyond this short summary, head to our article about triple sec. It tells you all about the production, the characteristics, and the story behind the French orange liqueur.