Cointreau
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cointreau | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Liqueur |
| Alcohol by volume | 40% |
| Proof | 80 |
| Manufacturer | Rémy Cointreau |
| Country of origin | Angers, France |
| Introduced | 1849 |
| Colour | colourless |
Cointreau (pronounced [kwan'-tro]) is a brand of triple sec liqueur, and produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, a suburb of Angers, France. Cointreau sources its oranges from all over the world, usually Spain, Brazil and Haïti.[1][2]
In addition to being imbibed as an apéritif, Cointreau is sometimes used as a digestif. Cointreau is considered to be either a premium brand triple sec or a unique category of liqueur. With a 40% alcohol content, Cointreau is strong for a triple sec which usually has an alcohol content around 23%.[1]
[edit] Production
Cointreau Distillery was set up in 1849 by Adolphe Cointreau, a confectioner, and his brother Edouard-Jean Cointreau from Angers. Their first success was with the cherry liqueur, guignolet, but it was when they concocted a blend of sweet and bitter orange peels and pure alcohol from sugar beets that the success of the enterprise was confirmed definitively.[1] In 1875, the first bottles of Cointreau were sold. It is now estimated that thirteen million bottles are sold each year, in more than 200 countries. 95% of production is exported.[1]
The production methods and recipe are a family secret, but tours of the distillery are open to the public. Photography is restricted in many areas to protect the production process from being copied.
Burlesque entertainer Dita Von Teese recently became the new face of Cointreau.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d French Wikipedia/Cointreau
- ^ Also note, that Cointreau sources some of its peels from coastal regions in Ghana.
- ^ Cointreau, Dita Von Teese Unite, January 17, 2008.
