Comparing Oranges to Oranges

Triple sec. Grand Marnier. The three Cs (curacao, Cointreau, Combier). Whether it’s a popular drink such as the Margarita, an underrated oldie such as the Burnt Fuselage, or an original such as my Cancer Killer #1, a lot of recipes call for one of these orange liqueurs. So what are the differences? And why should you care? This article from Tim McKirdy distills (pardon the pun) this liqueur category into some key facts.

So back to the second question … why should you care? Because the liqueur you use will affect your cocktail. For example, an orange and cognac or brandy hybrid such as Grand Marnier or Gran Gala has a thicker, richer taste. That makes it great for a whiskey based drink such as a Dubliner, but not so much for a vodka based drink such as a Cosmopolitan. Of course, it all depends what you prefer, and what you have in your liquor cabinet.

In the past we compared apples to apples. Now that we’ve compared oranges to oranges, you’ll use your new knowledge to make which cocktail?