Grand Marnier

Infobox Beverage
name = Grand Marnier


type = Liqueur
abv = 40%
proof = 80
manufacturer = Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle
distributor =
origin = France
introduced = 1880
discontinued =
colour = bright topaz with gold and amber tints
flavor = Orange
variants =
related =

Grand Marnier (gʀã maʀnje) is a liqueur created in 1880 by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle. It is a kind of triple sec, made from a blend of true cognacs and distilled essence of bitter orange.Grand Marnier is 40% alcohol (80 proof). It is produced in several varieties, most of which can be consumed "neat" as a digestif and can be used in mixed drinks and desserts. In France this kind of use is the most popular especially with the Crêpes Suzette and "crêpes au Grand Marnier".

Varieties

Cordon Rouge

Cordon Rouge or "Red Ribbon" is the original Grand Marnier liqueur created in 1880 by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle. It is consumed neat and is also used in cocktails and desserts.

Awards

*Gold Medal World Spirits Competition, San Francisco 2001
*4 Star recommendation from F. Paul Pacult’s Kindred Spirits, the Spirit Journal Guide
*“Exceptional” 94 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute

Cordon Jaune

Cordon Jaune or "Yellow Ribbon" Grand Marnier is scarce in North America. It is only sold in some European countries and at some major international airports. Yellow Label Grand Marnier is generally regarded as being the lowest quality. It is made with neutral grain spirit rather than cognac. It is used for mixed drinks and cooking purposes, such as Crêpes Suzette.

Cuvée du Centenaire

"Cuvée du Centenaire" ("Centennial Edition"), was first released in limited quantities in 1927 to commemorate the 100th anniversary. It is made with 25-year-old fine cognacs and is consumed neat. It is more expensive, at about US$145 per bottle.

Awards

*“Superlative” 98 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute
*5-star recommendation from F. Paul Pacult’s Kindred Spirits, the Spirit Journal Guide
*Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2001
*Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2007

Cuvée Speciale Cent Cinquantenaire

Grand Marnier 150, technically called "Cuvée Speciale Cent Cinquantenaire" ("Special Sesquicentennial Edition"), was awarded a Gold Medal at the Salon des Arts Ménager in 1983 - Brussels, and is the finest type of Grand Marnier. Also Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2007. It is made with 50-year-old cognacs sealed within hand-finished frosted glass bottles featuring hand-painted Art Nouveau decorations. At approximately $220 USD per bottle, it was previously marketed under the slogan "Hard to find, impossible to pronounce, and prohibitively expensive." [http://www.luxist.com/2005/10/13/grand-marnier-cuvee-du-cent-cinquantenaire/]

Awards

*“Best of the Best“ Spirits in the Robb Report
*“Superlative” 100 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute
*5-star recommendation from F. Paul Pacult’s Kindred Spirits, the Spirit Journal Guide
*“Best Liqueur” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2001
*Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2007

Cuvée Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle

Cuvée Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle is a special selection of cognacs taken from the best known districts (Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois and Bons Bois) and aged at length in oak casks. It is only available in duty-free shops in Canada and Holland and all of France.

Use in food

Grand Marnier is used in several kinds of pastries, such as liquor cream buns. It is also used in the French dessert known as "Bûche de Noël" ("Yule log"). It is frequently used in recipes for cranberry sauce, as sweetness and citrus can be a contrast to the bitterness of cranberries.

It is an ingredient for the preparation of Crêpes Suzette, Grand Marnier Soufflé and Crème brûlée.

Cocktails

Grand Marnier can be used to make cocktails. Some examples of these include the Cosmopolitan, Margarita, Side Car, Grand Mimosa and B52.

Time-Stamp Labeling

*The bottle features the production date. For example, on the banderole round the bottle neck of a "Cordon Rouge" there is an L followed by two digits for the year, three digits for the day of the year and another two digits for the hour. L0606914 means the bottle was filled in 2006 on day number 69 (March 10) between 14:00 and 14:59.Fact|date=June 2007

External links

* [http://www.grand-marnier.com/ Grand Marnier product website]
* [http://www.cocktailtimes.com/people/profile.grandmarnier.shtml/ Product History]
* [http://www.boozebasher.com/?p=33 BoozeBasher review of Navan]