Grand Marnier 700ml

Grand Marnier 700ml is the Cordon Rouge, the original recipe Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle devised in 1880 by marrying cognac with the essence of bitter oranges. It took him more than a decade to perfect, and the house says the recipe of cognac, orange essence and a touch of sugar is unchanged. It is bottled at 40% ABV.

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The oranges are hand-picked while still green, at their aromatic peak, and the peels are dried in the sun to hold their oils. At the distillery at Château de Bourg-Charente the white pith is removed and the zest is macerated in neutral spirit for up to eight days, then slowly distilled into a concentrated orange essence. That essence is blended with cognac distilled from Ugni Blanc grapes and aged in oak. Using cognac rather than a neutral spirit is what gives Grand Marnier more body than a triple sec, so it works both as a sipping liqueur and as a richer orange note in cocktails.

Grand Marnier’s own tasting notes:

Nose: Orange with candied zest and vanilla from the cognac.

Palate: Full and ample, bitter orange balanced by hazelnut and toffee.

Finish: Long and harmonious.

Sip it neat or over ice after dinner, or use it in a Margarita, a Sidecar or a Cosmopolitan. It also flavours crêpes, chocolate desserts and fruit salads. Store it upright.