Cointreau liqueur: history, how it is made, types + how to drink
Cointreau (Cointreau) - it is a classic orange liqueur with a strength of 40%. Produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d’Anjou, France from two types of oranges Citrus sinensis and Citrus aurantium.
History of the creation of Cointreau liqueur
The story begins on Rue Saint-Laud in Angers, France. The brothers, Edouard-Jean and Adolphe Cointreau, worked in the family confectionery and had a need for high-quality natural liqueurs, which were not available at the time. It became a kind of challenge for them.
In 1849, the brothers opened the doors of their Cointreau distillery & Cie SA.
They were the first to release wild cherry liqueur, and gradually expanded the line to 50 flavors.
Edouard Cointreau, the son of Edouard-Jean, practically grew up at the factory, he dreamed of becoming the best master distiller, and in 1870 his dream came true.
Eduard noticed consumer interest in the flavor of oranges, which at the time was a very rare and valuable commodity. It is a versatile product that appealed to both men and women. He constantly experimented and invented various combinations until in 1875 he created the perfect combination of bitter and sweet orange peel.
His passion resulted in the original liqueur Triple Sec (this is how this crystal clear drink was originally called).
10 years later, Edouard decided to patent the name and bottle, which became the brand's hallmark, but due to the great competition, he was unable to do so. And then it was decided to rename the orange liqueur to Cointreau.
In 1990, Cointreau & Cie SA merged with Remy Martin and entered the market with the new name Remy Cointreau.
Today, Cointreau liqueur has more than 300 awards, and the brand received the very first one in 1889 at the World's Fair in Paris.
How Cointreau liqueur is made
For production, the zest of bitter and sweet oranges is used.
The first ones are harvested while still green on Antilles, when the essential oil content reaches its peak.
Other varieties of sweet oranges are used fresh, they come to the plant from the South of France, Brazil and Italy.
The zest of the oranges is removed by hand and dried exclusively under the sun, and after it arrives at the production site, it is infused with high-quality alcohol.
Then several times distilled and with the help of water and sugar syrup brought to Cointreau's standards.
In the process of adding alcohol, sugar and water - to fix the drink - the density of the liquor, the alcohol content, the transparency of the liquor and its ability to acquire an opal hue when in contact with ice or water are checked.
In 1895, the world saw the first Cointreau advertisement, where the image of Piero Cointreau first appeared, created by the Italian artist Nicolas Tomano.
This character was used until 1954. In 2001, the alcohol in question had a new slogan "Be Cointreauversal", which is used all over the world, except for France.
Types of Cointreau liqueur
The Cointreau liqueur line is presented in two positions:
Cointreau Original
A masterpiece created through the unique distillation of natural peel of sweet and bitter orange. This liqueur presents a perfect balance between sweetness and freshness.
Cointreau Noir
This drink was created in 2012. It combines the classic Cointreau orange liqueur with elite cognac from the cellar Rémy Martin.
How to drink Cointreau
Cointreau was very popular among men since the end of the XIX century. This liqueur was consumed as an aperitif among high society.
True connoisseurs of orange liqueur prefer to drink it slowly, in small sips, enjoying the amazing taste and aroma from tall glasses, cognac or wide glasses.
Today, Cointreau is consumed in several forms:
Undiluted liqueur.
Dilute the liquor with highly carbonated mineral water in the form of soda or other soft drinks.
With ice, enjoying the drink as the ice melts.
As part of the popular club cocktails.
Cointreau can also be served as a digestif. It goes well with exotic and familiar fruits, cheese, chocolate and various confectionery products.
Update: 22.10.2019
Category: Liqueurs and Tinctures