Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge Orange Liqueur

Grand Marnier is cognac first. Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle blended it in 1880 from cognac, distilled bitter-orange essence and sugar, and the house still makes it that way. The oranges are picked green and their peels dried in the sun, then the zest steeps in neutral spirit for up to eight days before a slow distillation at Château de Bourg-Charente. It is bottled at 40%.

Sweet and bitter orange fill the glass. The palate is warm and honeyed, and orange peel, cinnamon and ginger linger on a long finish, with a little oak from the cognac underneath.

Next to Cointreau, which is clear and crisp, Grand Marnier is heavier and rounder. Pick Cointreau for a classic Margarita or a Cosmopolitan. Pick Grand Marnier for a richer Margarita, a Sidecar, or a glass on its own after dinner.

The house's own signature is the Grand Margarita. For sipping, pour it neat or over one large cube.

For a drier, cognac-based orange liqueur, try Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, and find the rest of the shelf under liqueurs and cordials. Pick it up at our Brooklyn store or get same-day delivery across NYC.