Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Triple Sec 70 cl 40%

Cocktail historian David Wondrich has spent a large part of his life tracing how drinks tasted before modern liqueurs made everything sweeter and more uniform. When he turned his attention to curaçao liqueur, he found his way to an 1800s recipe, which Pierre Ferrand has since carried through to the bottle.

Expert's Description

Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Triple Sec is a French Liqueur on a cognac base, bottled at 40%.

The liqueur was created together with Wondrich and is based on a historical recipe in which bitter and sweet orange peel is distilled together with cognac and a neutral spirit, three times over, hence the name triple sec. The result is drier and more elegant than many modern orange liqueurs, which often lean toward pure sweetness.

The cognac base from Pierre Ferrand gives the liqueur warmth and depth that sets it apart from liqueurs built on neutral spirit alone, underlining the house's roots in Grande Champagne.

This style of curaçao liqueur was a fixture in cocktail books from the 1800s and today appears in classics such as Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Sidecar, White Lady and Mai Tai.

Tasting Notes

Nose

The aroma offers orange peel and lemon blossom, with a hint of vanilla and light spice from the cognac base.

Palate

The palate is dry and clear, with orange and citrus oil leading, carried by a mild warmth and a touch of spice from the cognac.

Finish

The finish is long, dry and elegantly bitter, where the orange peel lingers longest on the palate.

Specifications

Name: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Triple Sec
Producer: Maison Ferrand
Country: France
Type: French Liqueur
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 3460410528858
Serving suggestion: Well suited to Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Sidecar, White Lady and Mai Tai, or over ice

Flavour Profile

Orange Peel · Citrus Oil · Vanilla · Spice

Did You Know?

An orange liqueur of exactly this type was a required ingredient in the original Sidecar recipe written down by bartender Harry MacElhone at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s, and the cocktail is still regarded as one of the classics that defined modern bartending.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Triple Sec 70 cl 40%

What does "triple sec" mean?

The name refers to a triple distillation process, where orange peel is distilled together with spirit several times to achieve a dry, clean citrus character.

Which cocktails suit this liqueur best?

Classics such as Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Sidecar, White Lady and Mai Tai, where a dry, elegant orange liqueur gives better balance than a sweeter variant.

Who was David Wondrich, and what is his role in this liqueur?

A respected cocktail historian who reconstructed the recipe from historical sources from the 1800s, so the liqueur reflects how curaçao liqueur tasted back then.

Can the liqueur be enjoyed unmixed?

Yes, ideally over ice, where the orange peel and cognac base can be experienced directly without other ingredients.

What sets this liqueur apart from other orange liqueurs?

The cognac base gives more depth and warmth than liqueurs built on neutral spirit, and the historical recipe makes the style drier and less sweet than many modern alternatives.

How should an opened bottle be stored?

Upright, cool and dark, where it stays fresh for a long time.