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Liqueur Notes: Grand Marnier Liqueur

The original Grand Marnier Liqueur, also called Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge (Red Ribbon), is 40% abv / 80 proof is sold in a unique clear brown bottle shaped like a cognac pot still. The aroma is a musky orange zest with a strong blend of spices, vanilla, and cognac. The taste is a stronger version of the smell with a focus on the slightly musky, bitter oranges well mixed with the herbs and spices, rounded out with vanilla notes, and followed through by the taste of cognac.

Like many old and fine liqueurs there is a history behind its creation. In 1827 Jean-Baptiste Lapostolle founded a distillery, his grand daughter married Louis-Alexandre Marnier in 1876 and Louis-Alexandre joined the firm, which changed its name to Marnier Lapostolle. He created what was originally called Curacao Marnier. His friend Cesar Ritz, who later started the Ritz hotels, tried the liqueur and said you should change the name to Grand Marnier, "a grand name for a grand drink." Since then six+ generations of the family have been making Grand Marnier, the most widely exported French liqueur with a bottle is sold every two seconds worldwide. Some interesting facts: Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph ordered 12 cases after trying it at the Grand Hotel in Monte Carlo, the great chef Escoffier loved Grand Marnier and used it when he created Crepes Suzette and the Grand Marnier soufflé, it was even stocked on the Titanic and a bottle was brought up from the wreck.
Marnier Lapostolle makes many other products. In the Grand Marnier line they have: Grand Marnier Loius Alexandre which is Grand Marnier that is mixed with a healthier dose of cognac for a drier, i.e. less sweet version of Grand Marnier and is usually only available in duty free shops in Canada and Holland. Grand MArnier Cuvée du Centenaire (Cuvée 100) this is a high end, rare version created in 1927 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the distillery and uses a rare and exceptional blend of cognacs, it retails for apx. $120-180. Grand Marnier Cuvée du Cent Cinquantenaire (Cuvée 150) was created in 1977 to commemorate their 150th Anniversary, the liqueur uses an exceptional blend of extremely rare cognacs aged up to 50 years, it retails for apx. $220+. Cherry Marnier, a Turkish Morello cherry and cognac liqueur.

Marnier Lapostolle also makes several fine cognacs and a cognac fortified wine in addition they also make several other liqueurs and spirits that are not available, or very difficult to find in the US. One of these is Grand Marnier Cordon Jaune (Yellow Ribbon) which is made with neutral spirits, not cognac and is used for cooking purposes and Crepes Suzette.

Grand Marnier is nice straight up in a snifter, warm or chilled; on the rocks, or in fine cocktails.

Filed Under: Liquor Cabinet, Drink Recipes, Drinks
Tags: Cherry Marnier, CherryMarnier, france, grand Marnier, Grand Marnier Cuvée du Cent Cinquantenaire, Grand MArnier Cuvée du Centenaire, Grand Marnier Loius Alexandre, GrandMarnier, liqueurs, liquor cabinet, spirits

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

Alex

12-07-2006 @3:40AM Alex said... Sorry to be pedantic but 'cordon rouge' is not 'red label'. Un cordon is a ribbon, sash or cord, and you can see this red sash around the neck of the bottle in the picture!
---------------
Thanks Alex for the heads up, I have that in my notes but wrote it wrong in my post.
--JMF--
Reply

Seth Wilson

12-07-2006 @1:28PM Seth Wilson said... Ahh yes....my favorite sweet libation. I used to let my fiancee use it when cooking, but she has been banned from it, as I think drinking any way other than neat is a bit of a waste considering the cost. We use Citron in margeritas and triple sec for cooking. I prefer to pour my Marnier in a scotch glass and leave it near my wood-burning stove to warm a bit, It takes on a totally different character when it reaches near body temperature. On the rocks I prefer to mix it with some bourbon or such.

Glazed Duck:
1 shot bourbon, 1 shot Grand Marnier over ice.

Delish!
Reply

2 Comments / 1 Pages

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