Orange Liquor Throwdown Challenge - Tiki Drinks and Food

DTG DJ Terence Gunn Member Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 250	DTG DJ Terence Gunn Posted posted on Sat, Mar 17, 2007 5:33 PM Cointreau and Grand Marnier are really meant to be sipping liqueurs and shouldn't be compared to the quality of Triple Sec Vs. Curacao, which can be sipped, of course, but which are designed more for the cocktail. And Grand Marnier isn't quite like Cointreau, is it? It certainly isn't like Triple Sec. Cointreau is closer in flavour to Triple Sec than Grand Marnier. I look at Triple Sec and Curacao as being the standard vermouth for the tropical libation -- one being twice the price (if not more) than the other, but bearing little difference (other than brand) in taste. These two liqueurs definitely SHOULD be compared. However, I certainly would never (even if the recipe called for it) put something as expensive as Cointreau or Grand Marnier in one of my tropical cocktails. But that's me. Still, I should be interested in hearing any opinions of the difference in flavour in a cocktail made with Cointreau and the same drink made with Triple Sec. But I still stand to my ground about Triple Sec Vs. Curacao: though some are a bit sweeter and some contain a bit more alcohol, in a cocktail with several different ingredients there is no difference of taste, just a difference in price and label. Interestingly enough, I was at the liquor store last night and found that the Bols Blue Curacao was nigh $5 less than the Bols regular Curacao. Usually it is the other way round. Perhaps blue cocktails in Northern regions are not favourable this time of year, hence the low price. Lastly, here's a question I put to all of you. How does one know for sure that these liqueurs are made the way they say they are made? Ingredients are not listed on the bottle, nor do I believe are required to be listed on the bottle. Where's the authenticity? The same could be said of licorice liqueurs (which, may I say, YUCKO!). Then there's all the Port and Sherry wines -- all proportedley the same, but of different said quality; and yet the more expensive Portugal imports can taste just the same as an inexpensive domestic.

Cointreau and Grand Marnier are really meant to be sipping liqueurs and shouldn't be compared to the quality of Triple Sec Vs. Curacao, which can be sipped, of course, but which are designed more for the cocktail. And Grand Marnier isn't quite like Cointreau, is it? It certainly isn't like Triple Sec. Cointreau is closer in flavour to Triple Sec than Grand Marnier.

I look at Triple Sec and Curacao as being the standard vermouth for the tropical libation -- one being twice the price (if not more) than the other, but bearing little difference (other than brand) in taste. These two liqueurs definitely SHOULD be compared. However, I certainly would never (even if the recipe called for it) put something as expensive as Cointreau or Grand Marnier in one of my tropical cocktails. But that's me.

Still, I should be interested in hearing any opinions of the difference in flavour in a cocktail made with Cointreau and the same drink made with Triple Sec.

But I still stand to my ground about Triple Sec Vs. Curacao: though some are a bit sweeter and some contain a bit more alcohol, in a cocktail with several different ingredients there is no difference of taste, just a difference in price and label.

Interestingly enough, I was at the liquor store last night and found that the Bols Blue Curacao was nigh $5 less than the Bols regular Curacao. Usually it is the other way round. Perhaps blue cocktails in Northern regions are not favourable this time of year, hence the low price.

Lastly, here's a question I put to all of you. How does one know for sure that these liqueurs are made the way they say they are made? Ingredients are not listed on the bottle, nor do I believe are required to be listed on the bottle. Where's the authenticity? The same could be said of licorice liqueurs (which, may I say, YUCKO!). Then there's all the Port and Sherry wines -- all proportedley the same, but of different said quality; and yet the more expensive Portugal imports can taste just the same as an inexpensive domestic.

Post #292670 by DJ Terence Gunn on Sat, Mar 17, 2007 5:33 PM