BACK TO BASICS – ORANGE-BASED LIQUEURS

The term "Curaáao" is a generic description applied to liqueurs made from oranges. It is derived from the island of the same name in the Caribbean, north of Venezuela.

The bitter oranges grown there possess a particularly attractive aromatic quality, but other oranges are now also used for this liqueur. Only the peel is used. This is soaked in water to extract flavour, steeped in spirit, distilled and rectified (redistillation to remove impurities).

Sugar is added to achieve the desired level of sweetness, and water to bring the spirit down to the desired alcohol level. Sometimes dried peel which retains the essential oils is used.

They are by no means all neutral in colour. You find orange-based liqueurs which may be orange, brown, white, green and even blue.

The term "triple-sec" is reserved for Curaáaos and implies a three-stage process including a double rectification. It may actually be sweeter than Curaáao Sec, but is likely to have a lower alcoholic strength.

Holland and France are both well known for their Curaáaos. In Holland, Bols is a name long associated with Curaáao, while in France the two most notable names are Cointreau and Grand Marnier.

Grand Marnier is based exclusively on Cognac. It is produced by distilling Cognac which has been steeped in orange peel.

Cointreau is a triple-sec Curaáao made by the firm of that name in Angers. It employed the family name to distinguish it from the many other triple-secs which are produced.

Other liqueurs which use orange peel are: Aurum, an Italian product made from brandy and herbs and spiked with pungent orange peel; Van der Hum, a South African liqueur made with a variety of fruits, herbs and spices including oranges; and Halb und Halb or Half om Half, German and Dutch mixtures of orange Curaáao and orange bitters.

Pomeranzen liqueurs are chiefly German in origin. They are based on Pomeranzen unripe oranges.