The chief grape used to make cognac is Ugni Blanc, an acidic white grape that produces a low-alcohol wine well-suited for distillation. Wines made from other grapes, such as Folle Blanche and Colombard, may also be distilled in the mix. But what about the ingredients? While you’ve probably experienced blue curacao at one point or another it would be a mistake to think that it was identical to other curaçaos – like Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao. The magic in this starts with the base, and develops from there through the addition of spices and the orange used. Some ingredients, like your Mr. Boston Triple Sec are low level, orange flavored neutral spirits gussied up with sugar. Others, like Grand Marnier, are brandy based and intrinsically have underlying notes of oakiness and grape brandy. Emerging in the 1600s as the Dutch West Indies Company brought Seville oranges to Curaçao, resulting in the distinctive Laraha orange and the creation of Curaçao liqueur. The flavor of Triple Sec is very orange-forward and citrusy. Its strong orange aroma comes from the essential oils in the peel of premature oranges. Triple sec comes under a number of famous brand names such as Cointreau and Grand Marnier. As a rule, it is around 15-40% alcohol and is used in a lot of drinks in its many variations. Both Cointreau and Combier claim to be the first version of triple sec. What’s the difference between triple sec, Cointreau and Grand Marnier?

Curaçao, in turn, is best known for its vibrant blue version, Blue Curaçao. Dry Curaçao usually has an orange shade - some more intense, some less. Rarely do you come across a colorless Curaçao, too, but that's truly an exception. ABV Regulations allow cordial producers creative license with not only the spirit and flavoring agent, but also how they’re incorporated. Some add flavoring agents after distillation by one of several methods. Infusion involves steeping the flavor source; maceration entails more aggressive crushing of the flavor components before steeping; percolation pumps water or spirits over the ingredients to extract flavors. Finally, flavor can be added by compounding, simply adding the flavoring extract to the spirit. Heartier flavoring agents such as seeds and flowers may be distilled along with the distillate, often for the second distillation, similar to the gin-making process. Triple Sec Mimosa: This twist on a classic Mimosa adds orange liqueur to the two base ingredients of orange juice and sparkling wine. Grand Marnier orange liqueur is a strong, but smooth liqueur that effortlessly blends citrus notes with that of tons of Cognac,” says Juan Fernandez, beverage director at The Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao is modeled after classic early 20th century French orange. It features Laraha oranges infused in grape brandy, combined with a distillate of walnut skins and prunes aged in brandy and cognac, and toasted sugar aged in barrels.

Cognac’s six appellations, or Crus, circle the city of Cognac. Their soils range from light chalk to clay, with the most desirable regions containing the most chalk, which provides superior drainage. The two most prestigious Crus are Grand Champagne and Petite Champagne. (Don’t confuse these with the famous French sparkling wine region located more than 200 miles northeast!) Cognacs made with a blend from these two areas – with at least 50 percent from Grand Champagne – may carry the label “Fine Champagne.” Overall, both types of liqueurs have a tangy, tart, dry, and somewhat sharp taste. However, Curaçao has a more pronounced sweetness and bitterness. Triple Sec, on the other side, has a cleaner palate and is significantly drier. Originally, Curaçao was produced only from the Laraha oranges growing on the island of Curaçao. But only Señor & Co., located in Curaçao, is still doing that. People sometimes wonder if the two liqueurs can be used as a substitute for one another. And since both are citric, orange-flavored liqueurs, you can do that. Just be aware that the difference is palpable and also visible.

Give it a swing with Bourbon, Giffard Crème de Cacao, and Angostura Bitters for a Choco Old Fashioned The different ingredients in Triple Sec and Curacao lead to slight variations in taste and smell. Both liqueurs have a very fragrant aroma and a distinct orange note.Curaçao liqueur is traditionally made with the dried peels of the laraha ( Citrus × aurantium subsp. currassuviencis), a bitter orange that developed on Curaçao. [4] Spanish explorers had brought the progenitor of the laraha, the bitter Seville orange, to the island in 1527. [5] [6] Although the bitter flesh of the laraha is unpalatable, the peels are pleasantly aromatic. [7]

As you can see with both Curacao and triple sec, drinks are often one of these and known by a brand name such as Cointreau or Bols. So is Cointreau the same as triple sec? There's an ongoing discussion about whether Triple Sec and Curaçao are the same. Yet both liqueurs differ in history, ingredients, color, and taste. In addition to Bols adding blue coloring, there’s some debate as to who exactly started the name Triple Sec (which in this case, you can use synonymously with curacao). Some claim it came from Cointreau, who went through multiple iterations of branding – and ultimately removed it once a flood of cheap triple sec hit the market. Others claim it was a label for the distillation process. Regardless of where it started, Triple Sec supplanted Curaçao in some name conventions, and you can now swap the names interchangeably.As a note: While some will probably fight me on this, not all Blue Curaçao are bad, notably Giffard makes a lovely one. On It’s Own: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

Curaçaois another generic term for orange liqueurs with a distinct bitter orange taste. The liqueur is similar to Triple Sec in appearance and flavor and is a vibrant orange liqueur with an alcohol content of 15 - 40%. Made from Laraha oranges ( Citrus aurantium currassuviensis)from Curaçao, this liqueur gained its distinctive slightly bitter taste. Some other liqueurs are also sold as curaçaos with different flavors added, such as coffee, chocolate, rum and raisin. Pierre Ferrand, a cognac and dry Curaçao brand, produced a less sweet "Ancienne Méthod" curaçao using 1800s techniques. [15] See also [ edit ] The Champagne cognacs are typically elegant, with flowery aromas; cognacs from the outer appellations have more fruit-forward scents. There's no set ABV for either Curaçao or Triple Sec. Also, the typical range for both is similar, with 15- 40% for Curaçao and 20 - 40% for Triple Sec. There are two other main curacao variations available that carry the name. The first is the Blue Curacao which Bols has made famous. It is usually of lower alcohol content than other styles, 20-25% typically, but has the orange flavour.Based on sugar cane; infused with Laraha orange peels from Curaçao, traditionally produced by Señor & Co. Triple Sec: Triple sec is the French answer to Dutch curaçao. Both Cointreau (pronounced kwahn-troh) and Combier have claimed to be the first triple sec. Secmeans "dry" in French and triple sec is often thought to mean"triple dry," though it can refer to a triple-distilled liqueur. There's also a claim that the name refers to the third attempt at Cointreau's recipe (the one still in use). Today, "triple sec" is more of a generic term for an orange liqueur and there are many brands that vary greatly in quality, flavor, and sweetness. Cointreau and Combier are the most trusted premium brands available; many are considerably lower in quality, typically not palatable on their own. This liqueur is often clear, though some with a brandy base may have a golden color. Most triple secis 60 proof; Cointreau and Combier Original are 80 proof. Some consider the taste of both liqueurs identical and claim that the term secfor dry is nothing more than a marketing gag. Yet, when tasting them side by side, you can clearly detect the differences. Appearance The liqueur is mentioned several times under the spelling "curaçoa" in William Thakeray's Vanity Fair of 1847–1848 as a drink taken by dissolute young men. For example, Lady Jane Southdown pays her brother "a furtive visit in his chambers in the Albany; and found him – O the naughty dear abandoned wretch! – smoking a cigar with a bottle of curaçoa before him." [11]