Professional bartender of 3 years here. I've learned so much about the craft from your channel and videos like this are a big reason why. Thank you (and Marius) for all of your hard work. This is truly the pinnacle of cocktail focused channels on TH-cam.
I like the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao best but also keep bottles of Cointreau, Grand Marnier, and Bols too. You should do a similar tasting of Coffee Liqueurs.
Thank you for not going along with Senior’s bullcrap. Historically, curaçao was a pretty rudimentary/simple thing. All the talk, today, about “brandy” and “cognac” is largely in response to the (20th Century) success of Grand Marnier that created a market for a liqueur that combined the aged brandy flavor with orange. The “grape brandy” used in curaçaos prior was just a convenient alcohol base (unaged and unremarkable). The confectioners that developed triple sec in the late 19th C. were applying their technical know-how to make a “better“ curaçao, which seems to largely come down to extracting/packing more essential oils into the spirit. (Cointreau and Combier will louche when you add water.) Triple sec has always been, and remains, important in confectionery and baking-a large part of Cointreau’s business is industrial.
I've been trying to get a bottle of this for years. Glad I never spent my money on it now. So many channels always went on about how this is the only real Curaçao and that anything else wouldn't be able to replace it.
Found a bottle of Seniors blue Curacao recently. I’d say don’t knock it until you try it. Had I watched this video before, I’d never have bought it. Regardless of its origin and how it was made, the stuff is delicious neat, and perfect to add some subtle flavor and color to a drink without being too overpowering. It’s also nice to have a good blue Curacao as opposed to the swill made by bols and Mr Boston.
I made it a mission to try all the Orange Liqueur being a former lover of Cointreau on the rocks with an orange peel. When I made my own Orange Liqueur It came out like Orangecello because I made an Oleo Saccharum as the Sweetener. It wasn’t clear but it tasted extremely fresh. I did an experiment recently and made Blue Cointreau with Blue Spirulina powder. It’s pretty vibrant and natural if anyone wants to give it a go.
@@alexkoronec4326 I’m not a huge Grand Marnier fan. I just don’t really dig the Brandy/Orange liqueur taste. I read that Napoleon Mandarin is in the same vein but I would taste it first before making a final assessment
I think one bottle is missing from this lineup, and that's Luxardo's Triplum. It's a great tasting bottle that is competitive with Cointreau in my experience.
This has been very informative & interesting & my go-to orange liqueur is always Grand Marnier. My idea of decadence. I've tried most of the other ones, but I always come back to the best. Thanks so much for this video!
The production quality on this channel is definitely going up. I think Leandro's the best cocktail youtuber right now. Anders Erickson and Cocktail Time With Kevin Kos are also amazing. They're probably collectively the 3 best, but I'd say Leandro is the reigning king. I think they strike a good balance of being informative and entertaining. The history and recipe bits are important but they shouldn't be afraid of getting nerdy with details, that's what makes the video actually interesting. Also the production value is really important. The darker and more cozy set that you switched to around start of 2021 has helped a lot. Also the script and cinematography are getting more tight. The cocktail/mixology genre on YT has been a bit stagnant until recently imo. How To Drink used to be the best channel by far, but I think the quality has been going down noticeably ever since 2019. 2022 has been very good though, Cocktail Time is especially promising. Steve the Bartender, Vlad SlickBartender, Tipsy Bartender, Mr. Tolmach's has got nothing on the aforementioned channels The Wee Pearl, Mike's Breezeway Hour, Behind The Bar, Truffles On The Rocks are all pretty good but not as exceptional The Golden Age of How To Drink are the best cocktail videos to this day though. Just watch the butter beer episode for example.
I recently was comparing 1. Gran Mariner, 2. Cointreau , and 3. Clément and I perceived them as going from darker to lighter 123. Which works best depends on what its mixed with. My Mai Tai with Appleton 12 and Pusser’s gunpowder proof was best with Clement and the Mai Tai using Plantation Original Dark was best with Cointreau. Another cocktail site suggested Grand Mariner and Clément 50/50 and it is an outstanding mix but I haven’t used it in. Cocktail yet. I bought a basic triple sec ( I think it was DeKuyper but not certain) first time around and it tasted like chemicals. Cara Devine from Behind the Bar likes Marionette, which I believe is an Australian brand. Oddly, I like the taste or Pierre Ferrand neat but less so in a Cocktail and something about it my wife really dislikes.
Amazing! Thanks so much. Would love this kind of video on Absinthe/Pastis. Or on some of the staple European Amaros (averna, ramazzoti, nonino, etc). There's so bloody many of them, and some of them can be hard to find if you don't have a cocktail focused liquor store near you. Knowing which ones sub we'll, and which ones are "irreplaceable" (a least in some essential cocktails) would be amazing.
We had quite the shortage of any sort of orange liqueurs at one point during the height of COVID. I ended up just making my own sort of version of such. I just infused a brandy with cloves and orange peels, made a syrup with the same ingredients and combined at a 3:1 ratio. Tastes lovely!
In Quebec where im from theres a major craft distillation scene for just about any spirit or liqueur you can think of, including triple sec. I’ve picked up a few that actually really stand up to cointreau for 10$ less. I keep a bottle of triple sec, grand marnier, ferrand dry curacao, marie brizard blue curacao and cointreau, its everything I need!
Tried most of triple secs. But I always needed mor "orange" in it. Decided to make my own. Made a pills mixer of Spanish oranges and blood ones. Dried them in a fast dryer. And distiled grappa with those pills in it. Made it less sweet as most of brands. And I wonna say, its fantastic! as for me, of course)
You have some great choices there. My favorites are the Pierre Ferrand and the Grand Marnier, but it depends on what I am making and what I am trying to achieve.
At 9:07 "They're not good." I attended a college with a chemistry professor that would arrive in his private helicopter. At the end of each semester he would do a liquor tasting class. The one thing I remember is that he said that fancy bottles equal cheap liquor because the fancy bottle is what you paid for...not the quality of the liquor. Funny how the only two "fancy" bottles are the ones that you say are not any good. Igor Mal-tay-o-vitch (spelling?) was right !!!
I only have Pierre Ferrand Curacao and Cointreau at home and use Cointreau if sweeter drink is expected (like if I make a cocktail for my wife, she likes it sweet) and I use Curacao for less sweetness. I also have the Bols blue curacao for the obvious blue color to it. Thanks for explaining the much requested question Leandro!
I recently got a bottle of Combier so that I can reduce my use of Cointreau, which recently had a price hike. I'm glad for the reassurance this wasn't stupid move. I now have six different orange liqueurs (if you count blue curaçao), and they all have different uses (except that the Combier will be interchangeable with the Cointreau, I suspect).
@@UnclePete Interesting. I've never tried this but Clement is my absolute go to for rum agricole, both the regular and aged varieties are amazing. What does their orange option have to offer?
@@gravitywaves2796 Its a spicy agricole based orange liquor, its a little more interesting than cointreau, but not appropriate for all drinks. its like the third one to get..
@@UnclePete Thanks for the reply. I commented before watching the whole video and didn't realize it'd be featured. They said I'd bet I'd be fantastic in my Mia Tia.
Your videos are awesome!! I’m a lover of all Tiki and I love that you’re into tiki drinks. I’m obsessed with the Ancient Mariner and your video on it is awesome. Thanks for all you do!! I was introduced to you from your appearance on Spikes Breezeway! Keep up the great work
Sometimes I find it helpful to think of liqueurs at 40% (maybe 35%) abv as part of the base spirit and liqueurs with lower abv as purely flavoring agents. So higher abv orange liqueurs would go with the base spirit as a split base but lower abv orange liqueurs would share function with sweeteners. Orange liqueurs fall into both categories.
Always use Cointreau in my margaritas. I've looked at Luxardo Triplum, Combier, O3 by DeKuyper, and Drillaud but never pulled the trigger. I do insist on a Triple Sec close to 80 proof, otherwise there is not enough alcohol to get a good extraction of the oils (organics extract organics). My go to Curacao is Gran Gala since it's such a great value. PF Dry Curacao is better in a Mai Tai, but not enough for me to justify the cost difference.
Triplum is pretty similar to Cointreau and usually a bit cheaper. Bols/DeKuper/etc are awful, at least the versions I've tried. Cheap and over sweetened and low proof
Hey there, I just got back from Curaçao and toured the Senior and Company Distillery. They market 7 brands of Curaçao liquor. By their own admission 5 of their brands taste the same but coloured with food dye for marketing purposes. That said, their Tamarind flavoured Curaçao is the one to get your hands on. It’s flavour profile is unique. I bright back 2 bottles. The Laharah orange is not native to the Island it was brought in from Spain as a Seville orange, and because of the volcanic soil profile in Curaçao, it morphed into the Laharah orange. They only use the peels to make their liquors. The actual fruit is not edible. They have a website that elaborates on their history and process. Their bottles are made in Spain, and they source their dorks from Portugal. The distillery bottles everything by had and has about a dozen employees. The Still they use is from the late 1890’s and for every 1400 litres of alcohol they add 800 pounds of sugar. They distill to 31 percent proof.
Enjoyed the dissertation on Orange Liquers. I have been using Gran Marnier in my MaiTais, 1/2 oz. My other deviation fron Vic's 1944 canon is using 1/2 oz Giffaud's Orgeat and skipping the Rock Candy syrup. Juice of 1 Lime [~1 oz], 1 *oz Dark Rum [Dooley's Old Brigand] , 1 *oz Light Rum [Cane Run] and 8 oz crushed ice -- are the usual suspects. Shaken, not stirred -- Dirty pour. Spent Lime Shell with Mint Sprig bored into it -- [like a palm tree] as garnish. *If I'm splicing the mainbrace, I'll bump the tots up to 1-1/2 oz each.
I think there's something to be said for the extra sugar content that he was going for with the rock candy syrup. When you have a high volume cocktail and a big tiki mug full of ice, all that dilution can easily outpace the sweetness of your mix. I think the extra sugar was to combat this. I typically just make my homemade orgeat to be a sweeter syrup than a 1:1 to achieve this. Of course like every drink you make it the way you like it! I typically go with a two ounce pour of Appleton and .75 of Pierre Ferrand.
Great video and overview. Thank you. We have begun using Grand Gala as a replacement for Grand Marnier (Gala is a lot cheaper) in our margaritas and other drinks, so we hope you will include this one in an update to this topic of orange liquors. God Bless, Brother.
Super educational and, for me at least, more handy than recipes. It let's me know how to riff on things I know, and gives me ideas for adding or modifying cocktails I have passes in the past
great vid! i have 4 of those tasted and yes - they are interchangeable and yes, they all make different cocktails. thanks for the additional education!
The way I approach dryness (in reference to the Cointreau thing) is sweetness is a taste, dryness is something you feel. It tastes sweet yet feels dry. Just how I approach it.
Mandarine Napoléon is the family favorite also. It’s our go to orange for a top shelf margarita. Our intro was at a bar in Tucson, I’m sorry I can’t remember the name.
@@fabrisseterbrugghe8567 I've never thought of it as such but I suppose my view might be colored by coming from a Belgian family. The aromas of the mandarins are nicely distinct from those of seville oranges or sweet oranges so subbing in MN for GM or curacao can really bring a unique touch to a drink.
O3 Orange Liquor is a very good sweet bitter orange item. You should try it. Excellent in a margarita made with my favorite inexpensive tequila, Cimarron Blanco
Gran Gala tastes very similar to Grand Marnier but is way cheaper. Luxardo Triplum is also way cheaper than Cointreau and pretty close in taste. But if I could only have 1 orange liqueur, PF Dry Curaçao for sure.
So I’m stocking up my bar for making cocktails … I live with a few people and we all have different tastes we’re on a budget but all chipping in we’re tryna make a list that covers as many cocktails we all like as possible .. I’ll put what we have down below and curious what you guys think if you’s any suggestions.. if somethings missing from the list, anything we don’t really need or just anything you’d change.. Also are orange liqueurs interchangeable yeah? Like obviously it will change the appearance of the cocktail but the taste should be similar right? I’m tryna figure out which is best to get between Cointreau and blue curacao? The spirits we’ve got are Kraken, Malibu Coconut, Absolute Vodka and Jameson Black Barrel.. (maybe a mid range but affordable tequila if we can find one around) We’ve also got down some different schnapps .. peach, kola and apple.. We’ve also got angostura bitters, Vermouth rosso and a peach liqueur .. then we were just gonna get an orange liqueur too .. Obviously get some juices, tonic water, ginger beer, sparkling water and some different sodas and fruits for it that’s no issue as is all cheap and will do that in our usual shop.. We were also gonna make some simple syrup ourselves and have some prossecco already which could go into cocktails also… Thoughts? would appreciate the help :)) We’re caught halfway between tryna make sure we have something for everyone and thinking maybe we’re getting too much in one go been tryna whittle down the list to just what we need so everyone’s happy over Christmas and able to make the cocktails they enjoy. Thanks in advance I know this is quite a long comment :’)
Bitters and Bottles are so awesome, I’m so happy that they are local to me. I use like 90% Pierre Ferrand, 10% grand marnier- but I want to try out the Clement sometime soon!
I don't know if it's been addressed in other comments, but I think the solution to your dry vs sweet debate is that the word you want to use to describe the "drying effect" is actually "astringency." In the worlds of tasting liquids, dry means lacking sugar and astringent means a feeling of dryness. Language is complicated and fun!
@@TheEducatedBarfly Let's continue this thread. Coffee can also cause the feeling of mouth dryness. This is properly called "astringent". You can get the same feeling from eating an unripe banana. Astringent is the sensation we are feeling from the compounds in the food or drink. Yes, it can be caused by bitter or acidic compounds, but really is made from various molecules making up tannins. When the tannins are in solution they make precipitates. These can bind to your tongue and saliva removing the lubricating effects of the proteins leaving your mouth dry. Language and Science!
True enough, this is one of the many issues that arise when we try to use a sloppy franken-language to describe the nearly infinite human experience! I appreciate this channel and the clear consideration you put into historical research.
Wish there were more mid range Triple-Secs at $10-20 USD range.... Most of the non sweet triple sec offerings start at $25+, even supposedly "budget" options
I have never found a use for Grand Marnier or Creole Shrubb honestly, I actually preferred Senior Curacao to either one (and to Cointreau) in a Mai Tai. Pierre Ferrand is certainly better now that it's available. Senior Curacao is not a high end spirit but unlike a half dozen other cheaper triple secs I tried, it doesn't JUST taste like watered down Cointreau or orange gumdrops.
Sir. How long is the Cointreau good for?. I have a bottle that has a stamp from 1963 it has been opened but it hasn’t probably been used since 1963. Thank you and I love your channel
@@TheEducatedBarfly thank you so much it was my grandfathers and we just found it and I didn’t want to use it without knowing you’re a gentleman and a scholar sir have a great day
licor de beirao has av lot of orange liqueur characteristics but like the Royal Combier has a lot of other ingredients in it. Though most of the subs for a least non cocktail recipes use Grand Mariner
Although, I cannot speak to wether or not Senior is the ONLY brand that uses the Lahara Orange (one should always be weary of claims that spirit brands make); they are the only one actually here on the island. I might be a bit biased, but the clear one is actually a pretty decent liqueur…in my not-so-humble opinion. (Besides my admittedly patriotic bias, I have worked as a bartender, trainer, consultant and “mixologist” all around the world and for about 20 years…🤷🏾)
Darn I was hoping Senior & Co. would be a decent brand lol. In Shannon Mustipher's tiki book, she "prefers" Senior & Co. blue curacao for one of her cocktails. I did purchase the Tamarind liqueur from Senior & Co. and I think it's not bad.
What is your take on Luxardo Triple sec? I find its not that cheap junk but its also not quite Cointreau. To me its close and it is half the price, however, I have avoided a lot of Cointreau cocktails mainly because Cointreau is expensive
Recently ran into an orange liquor made by Prunier at my local store. Curious about it because I've never seen it anywhere else. I know the Prunier brand makes an extremely well-regarded VSOP so I was surprised to see it was quite affordable. Anyone familiar with the Prunier orange liquor - is it worth picking up?
Just curios, why didn’t you actually taste the Pierre Ferrand? :) Thanks for doing this. Like many others, I’ve often wondered what the real difference is between these different brands…now I know! The Pierre Ferrand is my favorite for a sidecar…
I did a comparison in margaritas a while back between PF Dry curaçao, Cointreau, and DeKuyper O3 Premium Orange Liqueur and was surprised that not only did I prefer the O3 but it took less to balance the cocktail which just made it even more cost efficient than it already was. Anyone else try and have an opinion on O3? I do still prefer the others in more complex cocktails, I just don’t want complex in my margarita, I want bright orange.
I seem to recall I liked De Kuyper better than Cointreau as well. But I did not try any of the other ones, and I'm more of a Tommy's Margarita guy anyway.
I am partial to Patron's citronge orange liquor. Doesn't alter the taste of a cocktail too much like cointreau or grand marnier. Not as expensive either. Definitely a step above hiram walker, LoL.
Blue curacao is the same as curacao but with blue food coloring. The dry curacao is slightly different than regular Curacao as it was formulated to be closer to the original from back in the 1800’s. Hope that makes sense
Use code EDUCATEDBARFLY100 to get $100 off your first 3 boxes of Good Chop at bit.ly/3O851Dj!
It’s COM - BEEE - YAYY. You’re saying combiére…
I would like more of this type of content, even better put together in a youtube playlist for "learn about the ingredients".
Oh yeah. This video is gonna dictate what I'm looking for, so I can skip some and try others
Yes, you neglected to mention mandarin napoleon liqueur
@@alexkoronec4326 pretty good?
I second this!!
Professional bartender of 3 years here. I've learned so much about the craft from your channel and videos like this are a big reason why. Thank you (and Marius) for all of your hard work. This is truly the pinnacle of cocktail focused channels on TH-cam.
Thanks for the support!
I have a sweet tooth. What's the most delicious sweet liquor to sip while watching TV?
I love these kinds of videos. Pretty educational and the taste tests help a lot.
I like the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao best but also keep bottles of Cointreau, Grand Marnier, and Bols too. You should do a similar tasting of Coffee Liqueurs.
Except you completely forgot to mention mandarin napoleon liqueur.
Thank you for not going along with Senior’s bullcrap. Historically, curaçao was a pretty rudimentary/simple thing. All the talk, today, about “brandy” and “cognac” is largely in response to the (20th Century) success of Grand Marnier that created a market for a liqueur that combined the aged brandy flavor with orange. The “grape brandy” used in curaçaos prior was just a convenient alcohol base (unaged and unremarkable). The confectioners that developed triple sec in the late 19th C. were applying their technical know-how to make a “better“ curaçao, which seems to largely come down to extracting/packing more essential oils into the spirit. (Cointreau and Combier will louche when you add water.) Triple sec has always been, and remains, important in confectionery and baking-a large part of Cointreau’s business is industrial.
Love this! Thanks!
I've been trying to get a bottle of this for years. Glad I never spent my money on it now. So many channels always went on about how this is the only real Curaçao and that anything else wouldn't be able to replace it.
Except that he forgot to mention mandarin napoleon liqueur.
Found a bottle of Seniors blue Curacao recently. I’d say don’t knock it until you try it. Had I watched this video before, I’d never have bought it. Regardless of its origin and how it was made, the stuff is delicious neat, and perfect to add some subtle flavor and color to a drink without being too overpowering. It’s also nice to have a good blue Curacao as opposed to the swill made by bols and Mr Boston.
Coming from Curaçao, we had larahá in our garden. I used to like trying to eat one, it was like a challenge.
I made it a mission to try all the Orange Liqueur being a former lover of Cointreau on the rocks with an orange peel. When I made my own Orange Liqueur It came out like Orangecello because I made an Oleo Saccharum as the Sweetener. It wasn’t clear but it tasted extremely fresh.
I did an experiment recently and made Blue Cointreau with Blue Spirulina powder. It’s pretty vibrant and natural if anyone wants to give it a go.
Great, except you forgot to mention mandarin napoleon. Which is better than grand mariner
@@alexkoronec4326 I’m not a huge Grand Marnier fan. I just don’t really dig the Brandy/Orange liqueur taste. I read that Napoleon Mandarin is in the same vein but I would taste it first before making a final assessment
I think one bottle is missing from this lineup, and that's Luxardo's Triplum. It's a great tasting bottle that is competitive with Cointreau in my experience.
This has been very informative & interesting & my go-to orange liqueur is always Grand Marnier. My idea of decadence. I've tried most of the other ones, but I always come back to the best. Thanks so much for this video!
The production quality on this channel is definitely going up. I think Leandro's the best cocktail youtuber right now. Anders Erickson and Cocktail Time With Kevin Kos are also amazing. They're probably collectively the 3 best, but I'd say Leandro is the reigning king. I think they strike a good balance of being informative and entertaining. The history and recipe bits are important but they shouldn't be afraid of getting nerdy with details, that's what makes the video actually interesting. Also the production value is really important. The darker and more cozy set that you switched to around start of 2021 has helped a lot. Also the script and cinematography are getting more tight. The cocktail/mixology genre on YT has been a bit stagnant until recently imo. How To Drink used to be the best channel by far, but I think the quality has been going down noticeably ever since 2019. 2022 has been very good though, Cocktail Time is especially promising.
Steve the Bartender, Vlad SlickBartender, Tipsy Bartender, Mr. Tolmach's has got nothing on the aforementioned channels
The Wee Pearl, Mike's Breezeway Hour, Behind The Bar, Truffles On The Rocks are all pretty good but not as exceptional
The Golden Age of How To Drink are the best cocktail videos to this day though. Just watch the butter beer episode for example.
Thanks for the great insight! Glad you’re digging the channel!
I recently was comparing 1. Gran Mariner, 2. Cointreau , and 3. Clément and I perceived them as going from darker to lighter 123. Which works best depends on what its mixed with. My Mai Tai with Appleton 12 and Pusser’s gunpowder proof was best with Clement and the Mai Tai using Plantation Original Dark was best with Cointreau. Another cocktail site suggested Grand Mariner and Clément 50/50 and it is an outstanding mix but I haven’t used it in. Cocktail yet.
I bought a basic triple sec ( I think it was DeKuyper but not certain) first time around and it tasted like chemicals.
Cara Devine from Behind the Bar likes Marionette, which I believe is an Australian brand.
Oddly, I like the taste or Pierre Ferrand neat but less so in a Cocktail and something about it my wife really dislikes.
Amazing! Thanks so much. Would love this kind of video on Absinthe/Pastis. Or on some of the staple European Amaros (averna, ramazzoti, nonino, etc). There's so bloody many of them, and some of them can be hard to find if you don't have a cocktail focused liquor store near you. Knowing which ones sub we'll, and which ones are "irreplaceable" (a least in some essential cocktails) would be amazing.
We had quite the shortage of any sort of orange liqueurs at one point during the height of COVID. I ended up just making my own sort of version of such. I just infused a brandy with cloves and orange peels, made a syrup with the same ingredients and combined at a 3:1 ratio. Tastes lovely!
In Quebec where im from theres a major craft distillation scene for just about any spirit or liqueur you can think of, including triple sec. I’ve picked up a few that actually really stand up to cointreau for 10$ less. I keep a bottle of triple sec, grand marnier, ferrand dry curacao, marie brizard blue curacao and cointreau, its everything I need!
One of your best videos. I continue to learn so much from your channel.
Tried most of triple secs. But I always needed mor "orange" in it. Decided to make my own. Made a pills mixer of Spanish oranges and blood ones. Dried them in a fast dryer. And distiled grappa with those pills in it. Made it less sweet as most of brands. And I wonna say, its fantastic! as for me, of course)
This is what I am thinking of doing as well. Did you put them in the liquid, or in the vapor path?
Grand MArnier is my go-to, just because of it being the one used where I was working....still love it.
Great resource! Orange liqueur is a super common ingredient, and somewhat opaque for doing good substitutions. Thanks guys!
Excellent!
Cointreau is easy to get, while the others are harder to get and more expensive. At least in my region
You have some great choices there. My favorites are the Pierre Ferrand and the Grand Marnier, but it depends on what I am making and what I am trying to achieve.
Literally yesterday I manifested this video into existence. You’re freaking me out right now.
😂 keep manifesting!
I have tried combining Grand Marnier and Clément Créole Shrubb 50/50 and it's terrific. They broaden the flavor and it's delicious.
AWESOME JOB!!! It was very informative and answer many questions that I had about Orange Liqueurs . Love the channel. Thanks and Salud/Cheers.
At 9:07 "They're not good."
I attended a college with a chemistry professor that would arrive in his private helicopter. At the end of each semester he would do a liquor tasting class. The one thing I remember is that he said that fancy bottles equal cheap liquor because the fancy bottle is what you paid for...not the quality of the liquor. Funny how the only two "fancy" bottles are the ones that you say are not any good. Igor Mal-tay-o-vitch (spelling?) was right !!!
I only have Pierre Ferrand Curacao and Cointreau at home and use Cointreau if sweeter drink is expected (like if I make a cocktail for my wife, she likes it sweet) and I use Curacao for less sweetness. I also have the Bols blue curacao for the obvious blue color to it. Thanks for explaining the much requested question Leandro!
I recently got a bottle of Combier so that I can reduce my use of Cointreau, which recently had a price hike. I'm glad for the reassurance this wasn't stupid move. I now have six different orange liqueurs (if you count blue curaçao), and they all have different uses (except that the Combier will be interchangeable with the Cointreau, I suspect).
I keep Cointreau and Pierre Ferrand in my home bar. Between the two you’ve got an orange liqueur that will cover just about any need.
I do too, It seems to cover all the bases, though I have clement creole shrubb too because I love it :)
Wow, this is exactly my setup. You have good taste.
@@UnclePete Interesting. I've never tried this but Clement is my absolute go to for rum agricole, both the regular and aged varieties are amazing. What does their orange option have to offer?
@@gravitywaves2796 Its a spicy agricole based orange liquor, its a little more interesting than cointreau, but not appropriate for all drinks. its like the third one to get..
@@UnclePete Thanks for the reply. I commented before watching the whole video and didn't realize it'd be featured. They said I'd bet I'd be fantastic in my Mia Tia.
Your videos are awesome!! I’m a lover of all Tiki and I love that you’re into tiki drinks. I’m obsessed with the Ancient Mariner and your video on it is awesome. Thanks for all you do!!
I was introduced to you from your appearance on Spikes Breezeway! Keep up the great work
Thanks! Really appreciate the support! Cheers!
Sometimes I find it helpful to think of liqueurs at 40% (maybe 35%) abv as part of the base spirit and liqueurs with lower abv as purely flavoring agents. So higher abv orange liqueurs would go with the base spirit as a split base but lower abv orange liqueurs would share function with sweeteners. Orange liqueurs fall into both categories.
Always use Cointreau in my margaritas. I've looked at Luxardo Triplum, Combier, O3 by DeKuyper, and Drillaud but never pulled the trigger. I do insist on a Triple Sec close to 80 proof, otherwise there is not enough alcohol to get a good extraction of the oils (organics extract organics).
My go to Curacao is Gran Gala since it's such a great value. PF Dry Curacao is better in a Mai Tai, but not enough for me to justify the cost difference.
Triplum is pretty similar to Cointreau and usually a bit cheaper. Bols/DeKuper/etc are awful, at least the versions I've tried. Cheap and over sweetened and low proof
I can also recommend Mandarine Napoléon, but Grand Marnier is my favorite 😄👍🏻
My go-to right now is Bauchant. Cognac based and with 3 types of oranges.
Love the Ferrand Dry Curacao! The Mathilde fruit liqueurs are so great! Their XO Orange is beautiful! Love the show! Cheers!
Hey there, I just got back from Curaçao and toured the Senior and Company Distillery. They market 7 brands of Curaçao liquor. By their own admission 5 of their brands taste the same but coloured with food dye for marketing purposes. That said, their Tamarind flavoured Curaçao is the one to get your hands on. It’s flavour profile is unique. I bright back 2 bottles. The Laharah orange is not native to the Island it was brought in from Spain as a Seville orange, and because of the volcanic soil profile in Curaçao, it morphed into the Laharah orange. They only use the peels to make their liquors. The actual fruit is not edible. They have a website that elaborates on their history and process. Their bottles are made in Spain, and they source their dorks from Portugal. The distillery bottles everything by had and has about a dozen employees. The Still they use is from the late 1890’s and for every 1400 litres of alcohol they add 800 pounds of sugar. They distill to 31 percent proof.
My favorite orange liquor is Tuaca. It is an orange- vanilla liquor with brandy.
thank you for explaining this. I was wondering and it was never very clear. This video was very educational. Thanks and cheers
Enjoyed the dissertation on Orange Liquers. I have been using Gran Marnier in my MaiTais, 1/2 oz. My other deviation fron Vic's 1944 canon is using 1/2 oz Giffaud's Orgeat and skipping the Rock Candy syrup. Juice of 1 Lime [~1 oz], 1 *oz Dark Rum [Dooley's Old Brigand] , 1 *oz Light Rum [Cane Run] and 8 oz crushed ice -- are the usual suspects. Shaken, not stirred -- Dirty pour. Spent Lime Shell with Mint Sprig bored into it -- [like a palm tree] as garnish. *If I'm splicing the mainbrace, I'll bump the tots up to 1-1/2 oz each.
I think there's something to be said for the extra sugar content that he was going for with the rock candy syrup. When you have a high volume cocktail and a big tiki mug full of ice, all that dilution can easily outpace the sweetness of your mix. I think the extra sugar was to combat this. I typically just make my homemade orgeat to be a sweeter syrup than a 1:1 to achieve this. Of course like every drink you make it the way you like it! I typically go with a two ounce pour of Appleton and .75 of Pierre Ferrand.
Thanks for doing this! Love these comparisons! I'll be back to reference this one several times. And hey, mande the top 5! LOL
Great video and overview. Thank you. We have begun using Grand Gala as a replacement for Grand Marnier (Gala is a lot cheaper) in our margaritas and other drinks, so we hope you will include this one in an update to this topic of orange liquors. God Bless, Brother.
Super educational and, for me at least, more handy than recipes. It let's me know how to riff on things I know, and gives me ideas for adding or modifying cocktails I have passes in the past
great vid! i have 4 of those tasted and yes - they are interchangeable and yes, they all make different cocktails. thanks for the additional education!
For my bar, Gran Mariner, Cointreau, and Pierre Ferrand Curacao are a necessity. Does anyone have any other suggestions?
This was SO helpful! Thanks for another great lesson.
Many questions answered... thank you... very comprehensive review.... much appreciated
The way I approach dryness (in reference to the Cointreau thing) is sweetness is a taste, dryness is something you feel. It tastes sweet yet feels dry. Just how I approach it.
That’s a very good description 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
My favorite has become Mandarine Napoleon. Wish it was covered in this. so affordable too.
Love Mandarine Napoleon too! But it’s a little obscure for this video
Mandarine Napoléon is the family favorite also. It’s our go to orange for a top shelf margarita. Our intro was at a bar in Tucson, I’m sorry I can’t remember the name.
Mandarine Napoleon is obscure? Who knew?
@@fabrisseterbrugghe8567 I've never thought of it as such but I suppose my view might be colored by coming from a Belgian family. The aromas of the mandarins are nicely distinct from those of seville oranges or sweet oranges so subbing in MN for GM or curacao can really bring a unique touch to a drink.
O3 Orange Liquor is a very good sweet bitter orange item. You should try it. Excellent in a margarita made with my favorite inexpensive tequila, Cimarron Blanco
Gotta love the shout-out to Bitters & Bottles! My go to bottle shop
Love this video. I applaud your research and the variety of orange liqueurs represented.
do you think i can get similar results to Grand Marnier by taking good brandy/cognac and adding high quality Orange extract?
Great work with the Chapters so this can be a good reference video when looking to sub something out.
Gran Gala tastes very similar to Grand Marnier but is way cheaper. Luxardo Triplum is also way cheaper than Cointreau and pretty close in taste. But if I could only have 1 orange liqueur, PF Dry Curaçao for sure.
So I’m stocking up my bar for making cocktails …
I live with a few people and we all have different tastes we’re on a budget but all chipping in we’re tryna make a list that covers as many cocktails we all like as possible .. I’ll put what we have down below and curious what you guys think if you’s any suggestions.. if somethings missing from the list, anything we don’t really need or just anything you’d change..
Also are orange liqueurs interchangeable yeah? Like obviously it will change the appearance of the cocktail but the taste should be similar right? I’m tryna figure out which is best to get between Cointreau and blue curacao?
The spirits we’ve got are Kraken, Malibu Coconut, Absolute Vodka and Jameson Black Barrel.. (maybe a mid range but affordable tequila if we can find one around)
We’ve also got down some different schnapps .. peach, kola and apple..
We’ve also got angostura bitters, Vermouth rosso and a peach liqueur .. then we were just gonna get an orange liqueur too ..
Obviously get some juices, tonic water, ginger beer, sparkling water and some different sodas and fruits for it that’s no issue as is all cheap and will do that in our usual shop..
We were also gonna make some simple syrup ourselves and have some prossecco already which could go into cocktails also…
Thoughts? would appreciate the help :))
We’re caught halfway between tryna make sure we have something for everyone and thinking maybe we’re getting too much in one go been tryna whittle down the list to just what we need so everyone’s happy over Christmas and able to make the cocktails they enjoy. Thanks in advance I know this is quite a long comment :’)
Bitters and Bottles are so awesome, I’m so happy that they are local to me. I use like 90% Pierre Ferrand, 10% grand marnier- but I want to try out the Clement sometime soon!
They’re my favorite :)
I actually had a conversation about this yesterday. Thanks for the simple explanation (even though it’s a day too late).
I don't know if it's been addressed in other comments, but I think the solution to your dry vs sweet debate is that the word you want to use to describe the "drying effect" is actually "astringency." In the worlds of tasting liquids, dry means lacking sugar and astringent means a feeling of dryness. Language is complicated and fun!
Astringent doesn’t really do it though because it’s used to describe something that’s bitter or acidic and that’s not quite the mark either
@@TheEducatedBarfly Let's continue this thread. Coffee can also cause the feeling of mouth dryness. This is properly called "astringent". You can get the same feeling from eating an unripe banana. Astringent is the sensation we are feeling from the compounds in the food or drink. Yes, it can be caused by bitter or acidic compounds, but really is made from various molecules making up tannins. When the tannins are in solution they make precipitates. These can bind to your tongue and saliva removing the lubricating effects of the proteins leaving your mouth dry.
Language and Science!
@@HansMaximum Yes... try a raw Hachiya persimmon sometime! Sweet, not really bitter or tart, but extremely astringent.
True enough, this is one of the many issues that arise when we try to use a sloppy franken-language to describe the nearly infinite human experience! I appreciate this channel and the clear consideration you put into historical research.
Such an awesome video! Thanks for putting in the work.
What about glayva can you use that as a substitute
Patron makes an excellent orange liqueur called Citronge. Great for margs or on its own neat or on the rocks.
Can you make a video on Amaro and the different types bc I don’t understand it
Yep.
Absolutely
Great video, Leandro and Marius! I am a big fan of PF Dry Curacao as well.
Would you be able to swap dry curacao with cointrau in a white negroni?
Would you also add Mandarine Napoleon Liqueur in the category? personally it makes for tastier drinks especially a Spicy Margarita
Yeah Mandarine Napoleon is a bit like the Creole Shrub. I have a bottle and have used in some cocktails it’s great stuff!
Great rundown. I kept watching to see if I disagreed with anything, but I couldn't! I love it!
Thanks bud!
Wish there were more mid range Triple-Secs at $10-20 USD range.... Most of the non sweet triple sec offerings start at $25+, even supposedly "budget" options
I've tried a bunch of these and similar bottles and always end up going back to Cointreau in the end.
I find that PF dry curaçao has a unique silky mouthfeel that in some cocktails I like and in others I do not.
I have never found a use for Grand Marnier or Creole Shrubb honestly, I actually preferred Senior Curacao to either one (and to Cointreau) in a Mai Tai. Pierre Ferrand is certainly better now that it's available. Senior Curacao is not a high end spirit but unlike a half dozen other cheaper triple secs I tried, it doesn't JUST taste like watered down Cointreau or orange gumdrops.
What's also better is mandarin napoleon.
If you have found no use for Grand Marnier you have no concept of neither drinking nor cooking.
Have you tried Paula's Texas Orange, (or Lemon or Grapefruit,) Liqueur?
Sir. How long is the Cointreau good for?. I have a bottle that has a stamp from 1963 it has been opened but it hasn’t probably been used since 1963. Thank you and I love your channel
It will last indefinitely. It’s made out of spirits so it doesn’t go bad. A bottle that old has probably been evaporating a bit Over time though
@@TheEducatedBarfly thank you so much it was my grandfathers and we just found it and I didn’t want to use it without knowing you’re a gentleman and a scholar sir have a great day
Probably tastes amazing. Oxidation can do cool things to cordials and liqueurs, like soften them and bring out other aromas.
You nailed it, very difficult but important to learn.
Thanks this is super helpful, I’ve been looking for a video just like this.
licor de beirao has av lot of orange liqueur characteristics but like the Royal Combier has a lot of other ingredients in it. Though most of the subs for a least non cocktail recipes use Grand Mariner
Excellent video. I wish this video was around when I first started mixing drinks.
Great video, very thoroughly explained. Now I know everything I always wanted to know about the subject.
Although, I cannot speak to wether or not Senior is the ONLY brand that uses the Lahara Orange (one should always be weary of claims that spirit brands make); they are the only one actually here on the island. I might be a bit biased, but the clear one is actually a pretty decent liqueur…in my not-so-humble opinion. (Besides my admittedly patriotic bias, I have worked as a bartender, trainer, consultant and “mixologist” all around the world and for about 20 years…🤷🏾)
Darn I was hoping Senior & Co. would be a decent brand lol. In Shannon Mustipher's tiki book, she "prefers" Senior & Co. blue curacao for one of her cocktails. I did purchase the Tamarind liqueur from Senior & Co. and I think it's not bad.
I've got Luxardo Triplum in my cabinet, but I haven't done a tasting comparison recently enough to remember how it stands out.
Great video. Love these educational ones
Thank you. I needed this video so much.
What is your take on Luxardo Triple sec? I find its not that cheap junk but its also not quite Cointreau. To me its close and it is half the price, however, I have avoided a lot of Cointreau cocktails mainly because Cointreau is expensive
Great video! Absolutely needed info. Keep it up guys!
Great video, explained well and very informative. Thank you
Recently ran into an orange liquor made by Prunier at my local store. Curious about it because I've never seen it anywhere else. I know the Prunier brand makes an extremely well-regarded VSOP so I was surprised to see it was quite affordable.
Anyone familiar with the Prunier orange liquor - is it worth picking up?
I feel like I'm getting a free class. Great video
My local store has a “Mr Boston Triple Sec”. It’s only 15% abv. 🤔
Just curios, why didn’t you actually taste the Pierre Ferrand? :) Thanks for doing this. Like many others, I’ve often wondered what the real difference is between these different brands…now I know! The Pierre Ferrand is my favorite for a sidecar…
Terrific video, but is there a reason you didn’t do tasting notes for the Pierre Ferrand?
Does a "cadillac" margarita have to have grand marnier?
I use Caffo Solara, but would love to find some Clement Creole Shrubb.
What makes blue curacao different? Or is it just blue dye?
More of this plz! Deep dives into categories
Will do!
I did a comparison in margaritas a while back between PF Dry curaçao, Cointreau, and DeKuyper O3 Premium Orange Liqueur and was surprised that not only did I prefer the O3 but it took less to balance the cocktail which just made it even more cost efficient than it already was. Anyone else try and have an opinion on O3? I do still prefer the others in more complex cocktails, I just don’t want complex in my margarita, I want bright orange.
I seem to recall I liked De Kuyper better than Cointreau as well. But I did not try any of the other ones, and I'm more of a Tommy's Margarita guy anyway.
@@lttrbox I do occasionally like a Tommy’s too. And on even rarer occasion, a bit of mezcal.
Opinions on bols as a brand? It's hard to find ingredients and they're the only brand of certain liquers I can find
They’re definitely decent quality not my first choice but they do the trick
Super fun and informative episode!
I am partial to Patron's citronge orange liquor. Doesn't alter the taste of a cocktail too much like cointreau or grand marnier. Not as expensive either. Definitely a step above hiram walker, LoL.
Is the blue curaçao the same as this Dry Curaçao? or is there a difference?
Blue curacao is the same as curacao but with blue food coloring. The dry curacao is slightly different than regular Curacao as it was formulated to be closer to the original from back in the 1800’s. Hope that makes sense
it does thanks! - I asked because in a video of the 50 cocktails you said Orange curaçao and I wondered if it could be swapped air blue curaçao
love this! great guide, cheers leandro!
How does Grand Marnier fit in?