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What the difference between:

Cointreau
Triple Sec
Orange Curacao
Grand Marnier

I've seen all of these used in Margaritas.

They're all orange liquors, Grand Marnier is just more, much more, expensive. And tastier, of course.

Grand Marnier
(From the Grand Marnier web site: http://www.grand-marnier.com/)
Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge, a cognac-based orange liqueur, enjoys an exclusive and inimitable status worlwide.

The cognac used in production is aged at Chateau de Bourg, in the heart of the Charente region.

Grand Manier Cordon Rouge is actually produced at Neauphle-le-Chateau.

After lengthy maceration followed by distillation, the orange peels yield a flavoured spirit that, when carefully proportioned and blended with the cognac and sugar syrup, will produce Grand Manier Cordon Rouge.

Subsequently, successive heating and cooling processes produce the constants necessary for stabilizing the degree of alcohol wherever the final destination of the product (hot or cold climates).

Last but not least, prior to bottling, Grand Manier Cordon Rouge is aged in oak casks and is carefully filtered several times


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Cointreau® orange liqueur
A clear brandy based liqueur and type of triple sec flavored from the peel of sour and sweet oranges.


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Triple sec is a strong, clear orange-flavored liqueur. It is sweet, but not cloying.

In addition to the generic brand Triple Sec, Curaçao, Cointreau, and Grand Marnier are also triple secs.

While triple sec usually would mean "triple dry", it here means "triple distilled".

One generic brand is De Kuyper Triple Sec

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Orange Curacao liqueur
Orange Curacao (or Curacao) is a sweet liqueur, distilled and flavored from the dried peel of bitter oranges. It can also contain distillates of lemons and curacao fruit, sugar and wine. The Caribbean island of Cura硯 is host to much of the fruit used in these liqueurs.

To add to the confusion....we use Patron Citronge



I (personally) think Grand Marnier is overrated.

So, they're all classified as Triple Secs. Do they impart any different flavors on a margarita? Or are they too subtle to worry about?

spartan1979 wrote:So, they're all classified as Triple Secs. Do they impart any different flavors on a margarita? Or are they too subtle to worry about?

They can. Depends what tequilla you are using for example. Then it's a matter of personal taste.

I prefer Grand Marnier or Cointreau when drinking 'on the rocks' (and I can tell the difference) but don't care as much when it's frozen.

However, it still is mostly a matter of personal taste.

I guess I'm just going to have to make four margaritas and do a comparison test.

spartan1979 wrote:I guess I'm just going to have to make four margaritas and do a comparison test.

5. use the Patron Citronage as well.

RinglingRingling wrote:

spartan1979 wrote:I guess I'm just going to have to make four margaritas and do a comparison test.

5. use the Patron Citronage as well.

Is that a tequila? Do you just replace the total volume of liquor with that.

The advantage to trying just the other four is that I already have all of them at home, but I ran out of tequila last weekend.

spartan1979 wrote:

RinglingRingling wrote:

spartan1979 wrote:I guess I'm just going to have to make four margaritas and do a comparison test.

5. use the Patron Citronage as well.

Is that a tequila? Do you just replace the total volume of liquor with that.

The advantage to trying just the other four is that I already have all of them at home, but I ran out of tequila last weekend.

that is blasphemy..

spartan1979 wrote:

RinglingRingling wrote:

spartan1979 wrote:I guess I'm just going to have to make four margaritas and do a comparison test.

5. use the Patron Citronage as well.

Is that a tequila? Do you just replace the total volume of liquor with that.

The advantage to trying just the other four is that I already have all of them at home, but I ran out of tequila last weekend.

http://www.patronspirits.com/en/content ... _citronge/

RinglingRingling wrote:

spartan1979 wrote:

RinglingRingling wrote:

spartan1979 wrote:I guess I'm just going to have to make four margaritas and do a comparison test.

5. use the Patron Citronage as well.

Is that a tequila? Do you just replace the total volume of liquor with that.

The advantage to trying just the other four is that I already have all of them at home, but I ran out of tequila last weekend.

http://www.patronspirits.com/en/content ... _citronge/

I have 3 or 4 different kinds of Tequilla in my house at all times... taste testing, ya know.
(goes to YouTube to watch that Joe Nichols video again.)

Dezdmona wrote:

RinglingRingling wrote:

spartan1979 wrote:

RinglingRingling wrote:

spartan1979 wrote:I guess I'm just going to have to make four margaritas and do a comparison test.

5. use the Patron Citronage as well.

Is that a tequila? Do you just replace the total volume of liquor with that.

The advantage to trying just the other four is that I already have all of them at home, but I ran out of tequila last weekend.

http://www.patronspirits.com/en/content ... _citronge/

I have 3 or 4 different kinds of Tequilla in my house at all times... taste testing, ya know.

"sir, you know you want to take those 4 bottles of tequila home"
"yes, yes I do, but my liquor cabinet is only so big. If I take those 4 home, then I have to find room by getting rid of other stuff...."
"and your point?"
"good point.. hmmm.. do I really need vodka, AND gin?"

RinglingRingling wrote:

Dezdmona wrote:

I have 3 or 4 different kinds of Tequilla in my house at all times... taste testing, ya know.

"sir, you know you want to take those 4 bottles of tequila home"
"yes, yes I do, but my liquor cabinet is only so big. If I take those 4 home, then I have to find room by getting rid of other stuff...."
"and your point?"
"good point.. hmmm.. do I really need vodka, AND gin?"

Cointreau is 80 proof, the same a Cuervo Gold, for example.

The bottles labeled 'triple sec' that I have read are 40 to 48 proof.

The taste difference is very noticeable and worth the bucks, IMHO.

spartan1979 wrote:What the difference between:

Cointreau
Triple Sec
Orange Curacao
Grand Marnier

I've seen all of these used in Margaritas.

Here's an excerpt from a post at Tiki Central concerning orange liquors:


A basic desription of each of the liquors in question....

Gran Marnier (pronounced like Grand without the D, Mon like the beginning of Monday, Yeah like yippee. Not a pefect pronuncuation, but close enough for our comparisons)

Gran Marnier is a brandy (congac) based liqueur bottled in France. It is steeped with 'Wild tropical Oranges' as well as a secret blend of herbs and spices. The most common bottling you can find is 40% ABV. There is a 'better version' at 48% or higher with a red-lable but I have never been able to find it. The bottle makes a nice visual addition to most any bar.

Curaçao (pronounced like Cure, short A, sow like saying ow that hurt with an s in front of it)

Curacao was originally produced from the Larahas (originally valencia) oranges that were transplanted to the namesake Island from Spain and Portugal. Now many producers of Curacao use additional flavorings, for instance Bols is distilled from "the peel of the finest curacao oranges, valencia oranges and lemons."

Curacao is typically 30% ABV and naturally clear(ish). It is most commonly found in blue, but with some effort you can find red, green, or orange Curacao. Within the same brand there should be no difference in the taste regardless of the color.

Cointreau (pronounced Kwan like in tai-kwan-do, trow like throw minus the H)

Contreau is very similar to Gran Marnier in its manufacture but is Brandy based. It has been around since 1849 and was born in France (thus the brandy base). It is 40% ABV and flavored with both sweet and bitter oranges, we can assume the use of the Larahas oranges common to the orange liquors. It has the added bonus of the signature square bottle that makes a nice addition visually to your bar.

Triple Sec (pronounced triple as in three, sec as in wait a sec)

This term by itself means triple-dry, as in not very sweet. In regards to the liquors it means triple-distilled, or triple brewed. It is both a type/brand of liquor as well as a general category term for all of the ingredients in this dicussion, but we will stick to Triple-Sec the ingredent. Most Triple-Secs are clear and average at 30% ABV, but I have seen brands as high as 45% ABV.


To see the entire thread, go here:

http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/ ... 10&start=0

I prefer this.




It is about $15 cheaper than Gran Marnier and I also prefer the taste.

I like couintreu.

Way way way better than gran mariner... Its just to syrupy for me. Its very very very overrated.

Cheap triplesec ain't bad. But you could get better flavor with a touch of OJ for cheaper. Through in a tiny bit more tequila to make up for the "shortage" of alcohol.

I am constantly searching and I am about ready to just start making my own simple sugar based sour mix. Because I can't drink the sicky sweet green stuff anymore.

I am always intrigued by the margaritas that use the limade concotions and a bit of beer... sounds good... maybe less sugary? I usually double fist with a beer to cut the sugary taste of margaritas and the saltiness of them... perhaps adding the beer frees up a hand? hhhmmmmm