The Complete Guide to Orange Liqueurs

by Brian Donnelly

May 16, 2022

What’s the difference between an Orange Liqueur, Triple Sec, and Curaçao?

Orange Liqueur, Triple Sec, and Curaçao can be used interchangeably as labeling terms. Orange Liqueur is the general category for orange flavor distilled spirit that contains sugar.

Triple Sec is simply the generic term for orange-flavored liqueurs. The word “sec” means dry in French, which probably refers to this product style being less sweet than other orange liqueurs or that the orange peels used were dried before distillation. The word triple initially referenced the three-stage distillation process that was used.

Curaçao is another generic term used to refer to an orange-flavored liqueur. The Spanish initially brought the famous Valencia Oranges to the Caribbean island of Curaçao, located off the coast of Venezuela. The climate was not suited for this citrus, and instead, the trees produced a small, bitter fruit with little flesh but highly fragrant peels. When the Dutch took control of this island, they used their skill and knowledge of distillation to convert this inedible fruit into a sweet style of orange liqueur. The bitter oranges of Curaçao are now known as Lahana Oranges (Citrus aurantium currassuviensis). The labeling term “curaçao” has no geographical indication, and different versions of orange curaçao liqueur are produced worldwide.

Brian’s Note: While there are now many Orange Liqueur, or Triple Sec, options available in the market at all price points, they will generally fall into two styles. I would call these two styles the “Cointreau style” or the “Grand Marnier style” because each brand is the category leader and the defining brand for their respective styles. Cointreau uses a neutral alcohol base so the fruit, in this case, bitter and sweet orange peel, can shine through as the dominant flavor. The neutral spirit used acts like a blank canvas. On the other hand, Grand Marnier blends the orange liqueur with cognac so that the cognac can contribute a part to the overall flavor profile too. You’ll find many different products with cognac or another brandy blended with the orange liqueur. Most consumers will be using an orange liqueur, or triple sec, in a margarita. One style is not better or more premium than another. Each style provides a different flavor profile that will ultimately affect the taste of your final cocktail in a slightly different way.

What’s the difference between all the popular brands?

These brands are list alphabetically.

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