I find that during the warm weather months, I prefer a nice orange liqueur on the rocks, outside, with a nice cigar, to my wintertime scotch or bourbon. My favorite is the Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire, but unless I get a good price at the duty free, I find it a bit pricey.
I have tried Extase, but I find it too sweet, and missing in some of the bitter orange flavors that I like, I actually prefer the basic Grand Marnier to this. I haven’t had a Cointreau in a while, and I can’t recall how it compares to Grand Marnier. What’s the difference between the basic Cointreau and the Noir?
I have noticed that there are a few orange liqueurs from Spain, anyone tried them?
At some point, I will probably splurge for a bottle of Cuvée Speciale Cent Cinquantenaire, but I have not tried it, yet.
What are your favorite(s)?
I like Cointreau, I find Grand Marnier a bit too heavy and sweet. The regular Cointreau is like a triple sec, it’s a white liqueur and fairly dry. You can drink it straight or as mixer in Margaritas etc. I’m interested to try Cointreau Noir, it’s a blend of Cointreau and Cognac. So I guess that might be closer to Grand Marnier, which also is based on cognac. I would check out any Spanish liqueurs, they seem to know how to do it pretty well down there. My only issue is I don’t like em too sweet, which some of them might be.
Cointreau Noir is blended with Remy Martin Cognac, infused with a walnut/almond flavor during distillation. It’s also $30 more than the regular.
I also prefer Cointreau over Grand Marnier… it tastes lighter, fresher and more citrusy.
However, my answer (for now) is Rhum Clement Creole Shrubb, (a blend of white and aged rums made into a liqueur). Lots of bitter orange peel, and some spice. It has more complexity over Cointreau.
I’ve heard Gran Gala is very good, and I know some people who prefer it over GM, but I have yet to try it.
Cheers,
Van der Hum from SA. Once famously referenced by George Saintsbury in Notes on a Cellar Book when he called Grand Marnier “the inferior, johnny come lately knock off of the famous Van der Hum from the Cape of Good Hope”…
Also Clemente Creole Shrubb from Martinique:
All good info, much appreciated, keep it coming if there’s more.
I really like Stock Gran Gala. A great buy for the price. It could be perceived as a tad sweet/syrupy but I like it that way.
Just poured out what was left of a bottle of Patron Citron and Harlequin. Both were a little too candied fruit flavored.
I keep Cointreau and Grand Marnier at hand (drinking a Pegu Club made with the former while I type this)
Recently set up some wild cherries soaking in Grand Marnier to use in Manhattans this fall.
The rum sounds interesting, I’ll have to track down a bottle
I tried the Gran Gala yesterday. Different from Gran Marnier. While I need to do some head to head comparisons, my first impressions on it’s own, is that it seems a bit less sweet than the GM, with lower acidity, but it has a more astringent/bitter finish, probably with a bit more extract of the skins. Personally I really liked it. The pricing makes it a definite best buy; it was $19.97 with a neck tag good for a mail-in $3 rebate.
I haven’t yet seen the KWV or the Shrubb for sale around here.
I did a head to head Extase vs Gran Gala last night.
The Extase was a very light straw color compared to the amber of the GG. In fact, everything about the Extase was lighter and brighter than the GG. Flavor wise, the Extase was more tangerine/mandarine, vs the GG’s more blood orange profile. The Extase seemed more confected, with a hotter finish, even though both are 40% alc. The GG is my clear winner. Including the price differential $20 vs $80, the GG is also the DEAL.
Gran Torres is pretty wonderful. A little less sweet than the others and nice on its own.