Grand Marnier features in a couple of our kits (Margarita and Sidecar) as well as many other cocktails. Its a delicious, smooth, orange flavoured liqueur that tastes great on its own as well as making so many already great tasting spirits taste even better when mixed in a cocktail.

History

Grand Marnier (also called Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge for the red ribbon around the neck) is a brand of orange liqueur made by the Lapostolle family since 1870, but the story of Grand Marnier goes back further, to 1827.

It was in 1827 when Jean-Baptiste Lapostolle opened a small distillery near Paris. He needed knowledge of distilling, so he travelled to the Cognac region to learn the trade, eventually bringing back stocks of Cognac to age in his cellars.

In 1870, the grand-nephew of Jean-Baptiste, Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle invented a liqueur that blended an alcohol extraction of Bigarade oranges from the Caribbean, Cognac, and sugar syrup, and called it Grand Marnier. Slow ageing in French oak casks gives it incomparable roundness and subtlety. It became a popular part of French cooking – Escoffier used it to make Crepes Suzette.

This liqueur pays homage to Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle’s creative vision, his dynamism and his open-mindedness. An original and assertive blend, the recipe was inspired by a ritual that Louis-Alexandre was particularly fond of – adding an extra drop of cognac to his GRAND MARNIER® liqueur.

Tasting notes: 

Colour
Bright topaz with gold and amber tints

Aroma
Complex nose of orange flowers combined with scents of candied zests and toffee.

Flavour
Bitter orange flavours are enhanced by the cognac with nuances of orange marmalade and hazelnuts. The finish is long and harmonious.

We are thrilled to be featuring this in our December Subscribers kit – The Sidecar. If you’d like to be the first to try this kit you can join now and receive a new kit at the start of each month.

Image credit jfb-levage and Grand Marnier