best triple sec for margaritas
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Margaritas
A margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice often served with salt on the rim of the glass. The drink is served shaken with ice (on the rocks), blended with ice (frozen margarita), or without ice (straight up). The drink is generally served in a stepped-diameter variant of a cocktail glass or champagne coupe called a margarita glass.
Best Triple Sec for Margaritas
Triple Sec is both a liquor and a category
Let’s clear this up first. Triple Sec is a word used to describe a specific liquor and a family of orange liqueurs. Confusing, right? Here’s what to know:
- Triple Sec is the name for a category of dry orange liqueurs: it translates to “triple dry” in French. The other family of orange liqueurs is Curacao, which are sweeter (and sometimes blue, in the case of the Blue Margarita!).
- Triple Sec is also the name for a product. In most liquor stores, bottles labeled Triple Sec are lower in quality and more affordable than something like Cointreau, which is a higher end Triple Sec.
That said, this list of best Triple Secs will more broadly be a list of dry orange liqueurs that work well in a margarita!
Types of Triple Sec
Since Triple Sec is a category, you’ll see there are various types of Triple Sec you can use in your margarita. Here are the top choices and their flavor differences:
- Triple Sec has a straightforward flavor: it’s very citrusy, almost like an orange-infused vodka
- Cointreau tastes balanced between bitter and sweet, with warm spices that add complexity and nuance. It has a fragrant aroma and a smooth, clean finish.
- Grand Marnier is a Curacao/Triple Sec hybrid. It’s the most expensive and full of rich, developed flavor and intrigue from Cognac.
a quick guide!
Now that we’ve cleared that up: let’s get to the Triple Sec! Here are a few pointers around what to buy:
- Top choice: Cointreau. Cointreau is great for margaritas because it’s very smooth: it brings in notes of warm spices and a citrus perfume. If your budget allows: opt for Cointreau!
- Second choice: any mid-priced Triple Sec, like Drillaud. Price does indicate quality. Look for 750 ml bottles that are in the $12 to $15 range. Avoid the brand DeKuyper. We like the brand Drillaud Triple Sec.
- Splurge choice: Grand Marnier. Grand Marnier is a top-shelf orange liqueur that makes a sophisticated margarita. Make it with Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge.
Triple Sec Margarita
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) tequila blanco or reposado
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) triple sec (or Cointreau)
- ¾ ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt or flaky sea salt, for the rim
- For the garnish: Lime wedge
Instructions
- Cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run the lime around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of salt (or for a festive look, use our Margarita Salt).
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes and shake until cold.
- Strain the margarita into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice and serve.
What’s the difference between triple sec, orange liqueur, and orange curacao?
Triple sec and orange curacao are both orange-flavored liqueurs. While triple secs are generally clear, curacao can span a variety of hues. Contrary to popular belief, the term curacao on a label does not designate that the product is from that island. In short, all orange liqueurs are alcoholic beverages that are sweetened with orange flavoring.
What’s the alcohol content?
Orange liqueurs tend to clock in between 30% and 40% ABV mark.
Can you drink triple sec or orange liqueur on its own?
Yes. While entry-level versions are recommended to be used as mixers, higher-end expressions are more than suitable for solo sipping.
What’s the best spirit to mix with triple sec / orange liqueur?
There is truly no “best” spirit to mix with triple sec / orange liqueur, as it all comes down to a matter of taste. The best part of the liqueur is its versatility, which can be matched with tequila, whiskey / other brown spirits, rum, and beyond.
The 9 Best Triple Secs and Orange Liqueurs for Your Margarita
9. Bols Orange Curaçao
A fruity, orange-hued liqueur, this Curaçao is made using a molasses distillate, and orange and lemon peels. Its bold orange character leads the charge in the Margarita, resulting in a full-bodied cocktail that craves a touch more acidity. Average price: $12.
8. Patrón Citrónge Extra Fine Orange Liqueur
Combining sweet oranges from Jamaica, bittersweet oranges from Haiti, and neutral Mexican distillate, this liqueur has a zesty, citrus profile and finishes with a strong candied orange peel note. Despite clocking in at just 35 percent ABV, it mixes a boozy, bold Margarita. Average price: $22.
7. Lazzaroni Liquori Triplo Autentico
This Italian take on triple sec is infused with bitter oranges from Curaçao and sweet oranges from Sicily. It has a mellow but attractive profile that hints at tangy orange marmalade. The bittersweet marmalade note comes to the fore in the Margarita, and is another notable heady cocktail despite its 38 percent ABV content. Average price: $28.
6. Clément Créole Shrubb Liqueur d’Orange
The most complex option to feature in this list, this traditional “shrubb” blends white and aged rhum agricole with Créole spices and bitter orange peels. The resulting profile tastes like a juicy orange studded with cloves and licorice, and soaked in booze. Much of that character carries through when mixed in a Margarita, producing a layered drink that is enjoyable if not classic in profile. Average price: $32.
5. Tattersall Liqueur Orange Crema
This American offering has an intriguing botanical-like quality and lands a spray of fresh herbs on the finish. Its rich, rounded profile shines through in a Marg, and the bitter orange peel notes contribute mouthfeel as well as flavor. Average price: $28.
4. Giffard Premium Liqueur Curaçao Triple Sec
Made with a mix of sweet and bitter oranges from Curaçao, this is another example whose nuance dips a toe into the realm of botanical-like complexity. It mixes a light, energetic Margarita that serves equal parts alcohol, acidity, and sweetness, before tequila emerges on its own on the finish. Average price: $33.
3. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
The grape distillate that provides the base for this triple sec has noticeable depth, which only heightens the character of infused bitter orange peels. Inviting aromas in the mixed Margarita lead to a palate that is rich and rounded, with hints of bitter cacao and vanilla. While a clearly accomplished triple sec, the profile of the Marg strays a step or two from the expected path. Average price: $31.
2. Grand Marnier
Compared with every other bottle featured, orange is almost an afterthought on the aromas and palate of this brandy-based French liqueur. It’s surprising, therefore, how much the finished cocktail still tastes like a quintessential Margarita. The liqueur’s obvious quality, apparent in its depth and balance, adds a rich texture and serves to keep everything in check. Average price: $37.
1. Cointreau
Cointreau’s credentials as the clear Marg favorite are quickly apparent before mixing with tequila and lime. Both its aromas and flavor profile are lively and perfumed, and capture a range of different orange essences. This citrus character comes through livelier in the Marg than every alternative, while the overall balance and poise are exemplary. This is the world-famous go-to option for a reason. Average price: $37.
WHAT IS BETTER IN A MARGARITA: TRIPLE SEC OR COINTREAU?
Triple sec is lower in quality and more affordable than Cointreau, which is a higher end Triple Sec.
- Triple Sec is made from the skins of oranges, and usually holds up an alcohol percentage of 15%- 30%. This is best for when you want more of a slight alcoholic taste and more of a citrus-based taste in your Margarita.
- Cointreau is made from the sweet and bitter skins of oranges but holds up its alcoholic percentages at 40%.
So the choice majorly depends on how alcoholic you want your drink to taste and the budget you have.
IS TRIPLE SEC NECESSARY FOR MARGARITAS?
Can’t you just add a splash of orange juice or something? Not if you want a well-balanced drink. Triple sec, a term used interchangeably with curaçao, is a type of orange liqueur that provides fruity flavors as well as sweet and bitter notes — all of which are essential for a well-made Margarita.
How Margaritas Are Made
To give you a general idea of the overall process for margaritas and why you need a good triple sec, we wanted to share with you a simple margarita recipe. This recipe is by no means the only solution for a good margarita but it will give you an idea of ratios and fluidity.
Why is Triple Sec Necessary?
The sweetness of triple sec takes away some of the “bite” that might come from any alcoholic beverage.
Triple sec completes a margarita. It rounds out the flavors, sweetening the mixture, and is a necessary addition for a well-balanced drink.
Thank you for staying with this post “best triple sec for margaritas” until the end.
