The Grand Taste of Grand Marnier

After first learning how to distill from his father, whom was a merchant of wine and spirits, Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle brought together the ingredients that now comprise Grand Marnier liqueur in 1880. More than a century and a quarter later, Grand Marnier (pronounced GRAN MAHR-nee-ehh) is world reknown for its multiple bottlings of cognac and citrus essence blends, and other flavorings. This makes it a kind of Triple sec, or spirit infused with the essential tastes and aromas of oranges by steeping after distillation. Invented in 1834, the flavoring process would later prove critical to Marnier and the three liqueurs to be subsequently named in his honor: Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge, Cuvee du Centenaire, and Cuvee Speciale Cent Cinquantenaire.

Cordon Rouge, the original Marnier liqueur, was first blended in 1880 and is casually labeled "red label" in conversation. Produced at Neauphle-le-Chateau, the liqueur consists of a spirit that is macerated with orange citrus fruits before blending with cognac and "the Marnier secret," a confidential blend of flavorings that impart unique characteristics to the beverage. Social drinkers sometimes blend a few ounces of classic Marnier with lemon juice and sugar, resulting in a Grand Marnier Sour, or with pineapple juice, called a Grand Royale. The popular B-52 "shooter" also includes Marnier, in equal proportion to kahlua and Irish cream.

Cuvee de Centenaire, or the "Centennial Edition," is a celebration of the founder of Marnier's 100th birthday, and contains quarter-century old cognacs; this is reminiscent of the third bottling of Marnier, Cuvee Speciale Cent Cinquantenaire, which contains cognac spirits about fifty years old. Cinquantenaire's frosted glass bottle harkens to an earlier time in spirit production, as celebrated by the name, which intends jubilance in honor of Marnier's 150th anniversary. Both spirits are also award winners, Centenaire having scored 98 taste-testing points with the Beverage Tasting Institute; Cinquantenaire received a perfect 100 points. Both have received five star recommendations from F. Paul Pacult's Kindred Spirits.

Marnier also produces two less well-known products at opposite ends of the quality spectrum: Cordon Jaune, a "yellow label" liqueur made with neutral grain spirit, rather than cognac, and intended for culinary purposes. Though the majority of Marnier products are intended to be consumed unmixed or "neat," the liqueur is sometimes used in culinary delicacies such as "Bûche de Noël," a French dessert whose name translates to "Yule log." The other bottling Marnier produces is Cuvee Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, named for the founder; only available at duty-free shops in Canada, France, and Holland, Louis-Alexandre Marnier contains a most premium selection of cognac from various regional production areas, such as Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, and the Borderies region.

An interesting feature of Grand Marnier bottles is the presence of a time-and-date stamp, featuring the year and day of production, in addition to the hour it was bottled. As an example, if the stamp says L0718807, it means that the bottle was filled in 2007, on the 188th day of the year, between 7:00 and 7:59 a.m. This unique feature is one more characteristic of Grand Marnier, both inside and outside of the bottle, that make it a fine spirit to be enjoyed by many in a responsible manner.