Orange liqueur
Orange liqueur is one of the most commonly used liqueurs behind the bar. Triple sec, curaçao, Cointreau and Grand Marnier all belong to this family. Here you’ll learn how they differ, how to drink them, which cocktails they belong in and which glass suits them.
The best-known orange liqueurs
Two French greats and two Dutch triple secs found in almost every home bar.
Cointreau
Crystal-clear orange liqueur made from sweet and bitter peels. The classic choice for a Margarita and Cosmopolitan.
About Cointreau →
Grand Marnier
French cognac with the flavor of bitter orange. Amber-colored, round and full.
About Grand Marnier →
Bols Triple Sec
Crystal-clear triple sec with orange, peel and a hint of lemon. Made for cocktails.
About Bols Triple Sec →
De Kuyper Triple Sec
Distilled from dried oranges and sweet Curaçao peels. Lower in alcohol.
About De Kuyper Triple Sec →One fruit, three styles
Orange liqueur is made by infusing orange peels in alcohol or distilling them with it, then adding sugar. It often uses a blend of sweet oranges and bitter oranges. You’ll see three styles on the shelf. Triple sec is clear and fresh, with a neutral spirit as its base. Curaçao is the older name, taken from the island where a bitter orange grows. This liqueur can be clear, orange or blue, such as blue curaçao.
The third style is based on cognac or brandy. Grand Marnier is the best-known example: amber-colored, rounder and fuller. The alcohol content varies widely, from 20% for a light triple sec to 40% for Cointreau and Grand Marnier. Alongside the big names, you’ll also find Buissac Triple Sec, Zuidam Orange with cognac and Fair Kumquat, a kumquat triple sec.
In brief
From triple sec to cognac liqueur
Gall & Gall has thirteen orange liqueurs. For cocktails, choose a triple sec or Cointreau; for drinking neat, choose a cognac-based liqueur.
Cointreau
Fresh, sparkling orange. Neat, over ice, with coffee or as a base for cocktails.
Grand Marnier
French cognac with orange from the Caribbean. Complex and rounded.
Bols Triple Sec
Orange, peel and a hint of lemon. According to Bols, it is widely used in Margaritas, Cosmopolitans and spritzes.
De Kuyper Curaçao Triple Sec
Made from dried oranges and sweet peels from Curaçao. Mild and easy to mix with.
Cointreau Noir
Cointreau blended with Rémy Martin cognac. Sweet and bitter peel with a smooth cognac aroma.
Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire
A blend of 82% XO cognac and 18% orange liqueur. Released in 1927 to celebrate the house's centenary.
Cointreau Spicy
Orange liqueur with a natural chili kick, made for a spicy Margarita.
Hooghoudt Orange Liqueur
Fresh, sweet and fruity, also known as Wilhelmus liqueur. Delicious in a mixed drink.
Sweet fruit and bitter peel
Fresh peel
You mainly smell orange peel, fresh and slightly bitter. In a cognac-based liqueur, this is accompanied by wood, vanilla and dried fruit.
Sweet and fresh
Triple sec is sweet, clear and crisp. Grand Marnier and Cointreau Noir are rounder and warmer because of the cognac.
Slightly bitter
A finish with a touch of bitterness from the peel. At 40% ABV, you can feel the warmth of the alcohol.
Flavor profile of a triple sec at 38 to 40% ABV, such as Cointreau or Bols. Versions at 20% are sweeter and milder.
Three ways to drink orange liqueur
Triple sec works mainly in cocktails. A cognac-based liqueur is best enjoyed neat.
Neat after dinner
Pour 3 to 4 cl of Grand Marnier or Cointreau Noir into a liqueur or cognac glass at room temperature. This is the best way to taste the cognac and peel.
Glass: liqueur glass →Over ice or with sparkling water
Cointreau over a few ice cubes with a slice of orange. Or make a long drink: 4 cl in a glass with ice, topped up with tonic or sparkling water and a wedge of lime.
About Cointreau →In a cocktail
Triple sec is the quiet force behind many classics. It adds sweetness and orange to a sour, as in the Margarita, Sidecar and Cosmopolitan.
To the cocktails →Cocktails with orange liqueur
Four classics in which triple sec or curaçao makes all the difference.
Margarita
Tequila, triple sec and lime, with a salted rim.
Cosmopolitan
Vodka, triple sec, cranberry and lime. Pink, fresh and crisp.
Sidecar
Cognac, orange liqueur and lemon. A classic from the beginning of the twentieth century.
Mai Tai
Rum, curaçao, almond syrup and lime. Tropical and full-bodied.The right glass for orange liqueur
A small liqueur or cognac glass for sipping neat, a tumbler for serving over ice, and a coupe for the Margarita or Sidecar. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about orange liqueur
Is your question not listed? Read more about triple sec or view our cocktail recipes.
To triple sec →What is orange liqueur?
What is the difference between triple sec, curaçao, and Cointreau?
How much alcohol is in orange liqueur?
Which orange liqueur do you use for a Margarita?
How do you drink Grand Marnier?
Which glass do you use for orange liqueur?
Buy orange liqueur
Want the bottle at home right away? Order orange liqueur online from Gall & Gall. Gall & Gall has 13, of which 1 is on sale.
Prices from October 9, 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can see the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; you pay nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.