The sweetening requirement is what makes cordials distinct from dry flavored spirits such as gin. In the United States, where “cordial” and “liqueur” are used interchangeably, regulations require that they contain at least 2.5 percent sugar by weight and be made from “fruits, flowers, plants, or pure juices therefrom, or other natural flavoring materials, or with extracts” of those materials. In Europe, cordials refer to non-alcoholic drinks. We use the terms based on U.S. regulations. Vogel suggests experimenting with this orange liqueur during the cooler months. Consider using this in a Creole Royale (Champagne plus a dash of Angostura bitters) or a Sidecar. The different ingredients in Triple Sec and Curacao lead to slight variations in taste and smell. Both liqueurs have a very fragrant aroma and a distinct orange note.

Today, it's no longer required that Curaçao liqueur is produced on the island. Therefore many brands make the liqueur in other parts of the world, using other ingredients. Only one distiller remains who still produces Curaçao according to the traditional recipe using original Laraha oranges (curacao oranges). In addition to Bols adding blue coloring, there’s some debate as to who exactly started the name Triple Sec (which in this case, you can use synonymously with curacao). Some claim it came from Cointreau, who went through multiple iterations of branding – and ultimately removed it once a flood of cheap triple sec hit the market. Others claim it was a label for the distillation process. Regardless of where it started, Triple Sec supplanted Curaçao in some name conventions, and you can now swap the names interchangeably.But what about the ingredients? While you’ve probably experienced blue curacao at one point or another it would be a mistake to think that it was identical to other curaçaos – like Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao. The magic in this starts with the base, and develops from there through the addition of spices and the orange used. Some ingredients, like your Mr. Boston Triple Sec are low level, orange flavored neutral spirits gussied up with sugar. Others, like Grand Marnier, are brandy based and intrinsically have underlying notes of oakiness and grape brandy.

Cognac’s six appellations, or Crus, circle the city of Cognac. Their soils range from light chalk to clay, with the most desirable regions containing the most chalk, which provides superior drainage. The two most prestigious Crus are Grand Champagne and Petite Champagne. (Don’t confuse these with the famous French sparkling wine region located more than 200 miles northeast!) Cognacs made with a blend from these two areas – with at least 50 percent from Grand Champagne – may carry the label “Fine Champagne.”There's no set ABV for either Curaçao or Triple Sec. Also, the typical range for both is similar, with 15- 40% for Curaçao and 20 - 40% for Triple Sec. There are major brands producing each of these orange liqueurs. For Curaçao, the most prominent brands are Senior & Co distillery, Pierre Ferrand, Giffard, DeKuyper, and Vedrenne.

Triple Sec was invented in 1834 in the kitchen of distiller Jean-Baptiste Combier and his wife, Josephine. They combined Hawaiian oranges and sweet Valencia oranges, creating a distinct flavor through their three-step distillation method. Regarding appearance and taste, Curaçao is very similar to Triple Sec. It also is an orange liqueur with an ABV of 15 - 40%. It comes in many different (artificial) colors, but it's mainly known to be blue - Blue Curaçao. In fact, Curaçao is the forerunner of Triple Sec. These days the Seville orange and several other varieties are used for both types of orange liqueurs. Their peels are soaked in alcohol and then get distilled to concentrate the flavors. However, the sun was too intense, and the oranges turned bitter and inedible. But the skins of the fruit were very aromatic. One thing led to another, and the result was Curaçao, a slightly bitter orange liqueur produced in the Netherlands.

Cointreau is an Orange Liqueur, a Curaçao Liqueur and a Triple Sec. But, they do not use the Laraha orange, so they are not a genuine Curaçao Liqueur Triple sec comes under a number of famous brand names such as Cointreau and Grand Marnier. As a rule, it is around 15-40% alcohol and is used in a lot of drinks in its many variations. Both Cointreau and Combier claim to be the first version of triple sec. What’s the difference between triple sec, Cointreau and Grand Marnier?