What difference is there in ingredients between Cointreau and Grand Marnier?

looney_tunes

Details of manufacturing recipes are not widely publicised! However, Grand Marnier is stated to contain only essence of bitter orange, while Cointreau lists both sweet orange and bitter orange. Grand Marnier also has lines which are made with a cheaper alcohol source than cognac. Grand Marnier (gʀã maʀnje) is a liqueur created in 1880 by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle. It is a kind of triple sec, made from a blend of true cognacs and distilled essence of bitter orange. Grand Marnier is 40% alcohol (80 proof). It is produced in several varieties, most of which can be consumed "neat" as a digestif and can be used in mixed drinks and desserts. In France this kind of use is the most popular especially with the Crêpes Suzette and "crêpes au Grand Marnier". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Marnier Cointreau (pronounced [kwan'-tro]) is a brand of triple sec liqueur, and is produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou, a suburb of Angers, France. Cointreau sources its bitter oranges from all over the world, usually Spain, Brazil and Saint-Raphaël, Haiti. With a 40% alcohol content, Cointreau is strong for a triple sec which usually has an alcohol content around 23%. ... 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. 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. The production methods and recipe are a family secret. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cointreau Jan 15 09, 1:33 PM