🥃 Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
Core Grand Marnier line: cognac, orange liqueur and a little sugar; 40% ABV; about 51% cognac per Difford's Guide.
Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge is the core and best-known line of Grand Marnier, the original orange liqueur on cognac, created in 1880 by Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle. According to Difford's Guide, its strength is 40% ABV, and the blend contains about 51% cognac. The brand states that the recipe dating back to 1880 has not changed.
Production. According to the brand's website, it is a blend of cognac, distilled orange liqueur and a little sugar. Difford's Guide says the cognac spirits are usually about three years old, sometimes up to five, and come from five of the best growing areas of Cognac. The finished liqueur rests for about six months in large oak vats before bottling. The sugar figure in the same source is 200 or 214 g/l, and the page gives two different numbers.
Why it matters to you. Cordon Rouge is the starting point: it is compared with Cuvée Louis-Alexandre and Cuvée du Centenaire, which contain more and older cognac. The liqueur is sweet and strong, so in cocktails and desserts do not treat it like a syrup. It is not a neutral triple sec, because its base is cognac. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| EU category | 33 - liqueur |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, cat. 33 (liqueur) |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% ABV (per Difford's Guide) |
| Year founded | 1880, Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle |
| Raw material | cognac (about 51%), orange liqueur, sugar |
| Minimum maturation | about six months in large oak vats (per Difford's Guide) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Cognac
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Grand Marnier, 🍸 Liqueurs
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire, 🥃 Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis-Alexandre, 🥃 Grand Marnier Grande Cuvée Quintessence, 🥃 Grand Marnier Grande Cuvée Révélation, 🥃 Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire, 🥃 Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis-Alexandre, 🥃 Grand Marnier Grande Cuvée Quintessence, 🥃 Grand Marnier Grande Cuvée Révélation
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Cordon Rouge is a triple sec?
No. It is a liqueur based on cognac, flavoured with bitter orange essence, not one made on neutral spirit.
How much cognac is in Cordon Rouge?
According to Difford's Guide, about 51%.
What is the strength of Cordon Rouge?
According to Difford's Guide, 40% ABV; check the label.
What to read next
- 🥃 Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire — Grand Marnier line on XO cognac from Grande and Petite Champagne, created in 1927; 40% ABV; 82% cognac.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis-Alexandre — Grand Marnier line on VSOP cognac aged in Tronçais oak; 40% ABV according to Difford's Guide.
Similar
🥃 Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire · 🥃 Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis-Alexandre · 🥃 Grand Marnier Grande Cuvée Quintessence · 🥃 Grand Marnier Grande Cuvée Révélation · 🥃 Bénédictine 1888 · 🥃 Licor 43 Original
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge (40 %; 51 % cognac; six months in large oak vats; created 1880)
- Grand Marnier (brand site): Cordon Rouge (cognac, distilled orange liqueur and a touch of sugar; recipe unchanged since 1880)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I (whisky; liqueur)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)