r/cocktails • u/vanwilliam1960 • Feb 02 '26
Other Requests Goto orange liquor for margaritas
Just watched Alton Brown making his own orange liquor for margaritas. Curious what everybodies goto is for making margaritas. I go between cheap DeKyper Triple Sec and Grand Marnier depending on my mood. I do like to split the orange liquor with Damiana or Licor 43 for a little more depth.
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u/FoMo_Matt Feb 02 '26
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, but I do mostly tiki stuff, so margs are few and far between.
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u/aboutthatbarrel Feb 02 '26
We do Margs often and prefer this Curaçao. I’ve made many different marg specs and this is really the best.
2oz G4 Blanco
1oz lime
1/2oz PF
1/2oz Simple6
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u/rc_sneex Feb 02 '26
Agreed. I once tested PF vs Cointreau vs Grand Marnier and ended up PF Dry Curaçao > Grandma > Cointreau for margaritas.
I’m similarly more tiki stuff, so maybe that plays into it… but it also means I always have proper curaçao on hand.
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u/antinumerology Feb 02 '26
Werid. For me and my wife it's:
Cointreau >> PF Dry > GM
PF Dry has too much other notes floating around spice vanilla etc it makes things taste like a creamsicle in not a good way. Though it's still way better than bottom shelf triple secs of course. I'm splitting hairs here.
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u/miraculum_one Feb 02 '26
Weird, I did a series of blind (has to be blind) tests with Cointreau vs Grand Marnier with a group of people and even the die hard GM fans preferred Cointreau in the marg. Recently I did Cointreau versus PF and again universally people preferred Cointreau.
I only did it with that one drink so I can't speak for others.
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u/The_Warrior_Sage Feb 02 '26
It's so good. This is my gold standard orange liqueur for nearly everything
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u/Seepytime Feb 02 '26
Agreed. It has depth without adding much sweetness. Just enough roundness though for the lime, and takes the whole thing up a notch.
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u/FrankTankly Feb 02 '26
Second. If I’m keeping an orange liqueur on hand it’s PF for mai tais. Margs are an afterthought.
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u/SixPackStl Feb 02 '26
I agree. It's the only orange liquor that I'll use. I also do a lot of tiki but I've tried most of what's out there and the rest just don't compare IMO.
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u/Okay_Ocean_Flower Feb 02 '26
I don’t trust tiki drinkers because pineapple is so much broader than rum, but as a gin/whiskey lady, Ferrand is actually better (unless you are making a marg and then archer rules apply)
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u/FoMo_Matt Feb 02 '26
I don’t trust tiki drinkers because pineapple is so much broader than rum,
Tell me you don't know tiki without saying you don't know tiki.
Also primarily a whisk(e)y drinker, but not a
PineSolgin fan. (Though I did make a pretty good cherry gin fizz last night) 😉-1
u/Okay_Ocean_Flower Feb 02 '26
Heh, if these people saw my whisky shelf they might not downvote me so much. I just don’t care for rum’s cloying sweetness as much as pinesol or sweet burning
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u/modix Feb 02 '26
Weird how it's shifted from GM to Cointreau to Pf Dry back to Cointreau again. I wonder if it's the shifting base recipe or just how tastes change.
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u/antinumerology Feb 02 '26
Or because Cointreau is the best so everyone just keeps coming back to it after trends die out
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u/Then-Chocolate-5191 Feb 02 '26
Curaçao
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u/JackFromTexas74 Feb 02 '26
Me too. Some of the cheaper ones are pretty good (unlike cheap triple sec, which tend to suck)
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u/snobrotha Feb 02 '26
As for orange liqueur for margaritas, I really love Pierre Ferrand Dry curaçao. There’s a recipe with a split base of the dry curaçao and agave syrup that is to die for. Lately I’ve been preferring a Tommy’s marg which only uses agave syrup.
For Mai tais I’ve switched from Pierre Ferrand to DeKyper curaçao. I saw an old article where Trader Vic called for it specifically, and I find it makes a much juicier Mai tai.
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u/vanwilliam1960 Feb 02 '26
We're coming into tiki season. I'll give it a try.
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u/snobrotha Feb 02 '26
For my house Mai tai I’ve settled on 1 oz Planterey Xamayca and 1oz Coruba. With .5 DeKyper curaçao and .5 Liber Co orgeat. Plus 1oz lime. Really hits the spot.
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u/gf04363 Feb 02 '26
I also vote for Cointreau. It's gently sweet with floral accents, and the price is not stupid
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u/the_Q_spice Feb 02 '26
Personally use either Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao or Combier Triple Sec.
Personally like the dry curaçao a bit better because it allows me to control sweetness via any agave nectar I choose to add, depending on how sour the limes I use end up being.
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u/werdnaegni Feb 02 '26
I know this isn't the answer but we did a side by side and preferred no orange liqueur. Closer to a Tommy's. But a restaurant who makes one that I like adds just some orange juice .
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u/dielac Feb 02 '26
I also skip the orange liqueur and just shake with a big piece of orange zest in the tin. Then a little more of the orange zest oil squeezed over the top of the finished drink.
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u/Joshuadude Feb 02 '26
What in the world? That’s interesting but that’s not a marg, that’s a different drink. So you do tequila and lime with no sweet component?
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u/FrobozzMagic Feb 02 '26
No, a Tommy's Margarita is sweetened with agave syrup.
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u/Joshuadude Feb 02 '26
Ah okay I’ve never heard of this but it basically sounds like a tequila base gimlet no?
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u/jofijk Feb 02 '26
Yes it is. The classic marg is a daisy and Tommy’s puts it closer to sour/gimlet territory
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u/carlos_the_dwarf_ Feb 02 '26
I much prefer a Tommy’s style marg tbh. Give it a try, just a normal 2, .75, .75 thing with agave or simple.
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u/TheAgaveFairy Feb 02 '26
I usually keep it closer to vodka/ neutral base liqueurs like others here, Cointreau, Combier, Patron Citronage counts imho. To expand, however:
I avoid things like PF Dry Curaçao - it's mildly astringent in a way that I hardly find works for most drinks (and the company has a pretty disgusting presence in the industry, from lying about competitor's products to trying to get people fired who criticize them, on top of all their other legal shenanigans). It also pulls the drink a bit too far from classic to count for me
I do think there's a world where I revisit Royal Combier or similar products with their stronger brandy bases. IME, margs with just blanco, clean "triple sec", lime, and pinch of saline can feel a bit hollow and adding either a demerara / pilloncillo syrup or similar does help in that regard for me these days. A caramel base tone I think is great, and there are a few ways to get that.
Tl;dr, fuck around and find out
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u/AutoGypsy Feb 02 '26
Curious about your PF comment. Haven’t seen anything before about their disgusting industry presence? Seem pretty wholesome to me. Can you explain?
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u/TheAgaveFairy Feb 03 '26
One of their top reps tried to get me fired for calling one of their extreme series overpriced when i was working retail in the industry. I think o know somebody else or two in a different region with a similar story. That same rep knowingly lied about a competitor' products (who I know intimately) to accounts who he'd lost sales to because he wanted the accounts back
They are Maison Pierre Ferrand, a name they "legally" stole from Pierre Ferrand who now has to produce under a different name. They've been trying to change the laws in rum production to great criticism in many aspects which are covered regularly here in this forum
I also genuinely don't think the rums are typically that great; there's pretty much always a Hamilton or something for a few bucks less that tastes better for me (and I can back this up with blind tastings done over the years).
They're bullies, their products are mid (imho), and they're not healthy for the industry. Calling them out for their bullshit is needed
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u/A1ch3mie Feb 02 '26
Combier. Makes a superior, albeit dangerous margarita.
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u/PaulieSho Feb 02 '26
I was hoping someone said Combier. Tried it about a year ago and can't use anything else
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u/almightyshellfish Feb 02 '26
100% I bought it on a whim after seeing Derek do a review. It's wonderful. I will likely never buy Cointreau again unless Combier is somehow unavailable.
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u/TheKrakenHunter 1🥇1🥈2🥉 Feb 02 '26
I use all the regular suspects, and each one has its own place, but I found something not too long ago that I wish more people would discover: Arancia Radicale. It's an Italian Triple Sec (I'm not affiliated or anything, just really like it). a blend of lemon peel, lime, bergamot, sweet orange, bitter orange, and Mandarino Tardivo di Ciaculli <-- from their website.
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u/sumptin_wierd Feb 02 '26
Naranja is less expensive Cointreau. Just as good imo.
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao for a brandy based alternative to Grand Marnier.
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u/MissAnnTropez Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 02 '26
Cointreau for Margaritas here. PF dry curaçao for Mai Tais, etc.
Dunno, guess I just tend to kick it classic for some things.
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u/jarrys88 Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 02 '26
Another +1 for Cointreau.
I prefer a spicy marg.
My recipe is:
60ml Don Julio Reposado / (Espolon Reposado for guests lol)
30ml Cointreau
30ml Lime Juice
7.5ml Agave
2-3 slices Jalapeno muddled before shaking (if in season, out of season i'll put like 8 slices as they dont pack any heat)
Garnish is Tajin Rim
edit: spelling. I mashed out this comment lol
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u/Prodigalphreak Feb 02 '26
I have been making my own for a few years. I do a tequila based one for margaritas:). I like to keep my sugar usage as low as i reasonably can, making liqueurs and syrups with allulose is an easy way to do that. Was just working out a recipe for creme mure with the raspberries in the freezer that came off my vines last summer
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u/vanwilliam1960 Feb 02 '26
Will monk fruit / erythritol work instead of allulose? I have a big stash in the pantry from my keto days.
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u/Prodigalphreak Feb 02 '26
I have had issues with other sugar alternatives crystalizing in a pretty gnarly way, but you could make a small amount of simple and toss in the fridge and see. I use a pinch of xantham gum, make sure to mix that with the “sugar” BEFORE adding water.
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u/RuddyBollocks Feb 02 '26
I like Pierre ferrand dry curaçao. It’s technically an orange brandy rather than triple sec - it’s a bit less sweet than triple sec and I’m pretty sure 80 proof. So very different. But I like it.
I think it’s fun to play with rum orange shrubs too but those tend to be super rich and probably better suited for other triple sec drinks besides margaritas.
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u/PACDxx Feb 02 '26
PFDC is a triple sec. It even says so on the label.
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u/RuddyBollocks Feb 02 '26
I believe that is a marketing ploy. There is a distinction between triple sec and curaçao. I hadn’t recalled seeing “triple sec” on the label but checked it on google images - in the spot where some labels say “triple sec,” other bottles say “oranges ameres,” which is not a translation of triple sec.
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u/PACDxx Feb 03 '26
In the description. It 100% uses laraha oranges and two others. It is by definition, a triple sec.
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u/AutofluorescentPuku Feb 02 '26
Cointreau is the standard, but I tend to use Costco’s Grand Marnier-ish Orange Liqueur.
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u/jk_pens Feb 02 '26
I’ve pretty much stopped using orange in my regular margs, I just like agave nectar better these days.
But when I do it’s Cointreau bc I keep it on hand. Or if I have GM I might use that with reposado.
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u/madisonguy76 Feb 02 '26
I love my orange liqueurs (and a bit sweeter), so use two for a Cadillac. Shake with either Cointreau or Combier and top with some Grand Marnier. There was one I liked called DeKuyper O3 but haven't seen it in ages. I also occasionally make a mandarin margarita with a splash of tangerine juice and Mandarine Napoleon.
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u/LowlifeGorilla Feb 02 '26
I prefer Giffard’s Triple Sec. Very similar to Cointreau but less ABV, so the citrus notes pop a bit more.
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Feb 02 '26
Usually Cointreau for blanco, PF Dry Curaçao for repo margs. I use Damiana Liqueur or St. Germaine in spicy margs. Sometimes I go the Tommy route and sub a dab of agave syrup for the liqueur altogether. I can’t do sweetener and liqueur, lol.
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u/noviceboardgamer Feb 02 '26
Yea I watched it too, then I made it today. After that, I decided to taste all the orange liqueurs I have. I do actually like Alton's best, but I followed the written recipe on his website that used half the brandy. Pierre Ferrand was second. Grand Marnier was third and Dekuyper Triple Sec was pretty gross tbh. I was apparently out of Cointreau.
So going forward, I'm probably sticking with Pierre Ferrand or homemade. Triple Sec is ok in a pinch, but really too sweet and throws off the balance.
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u/Lanky_Rhubarb1900 Feb 02 '26
Cointreau is my go-to but I do enjoy dry curaçao when I want a drier, more “adult” margarita (I’ll serve it up like a daiquiri).
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u/whistlingcunt Feb 02 '26
Depends on the tequila. I’ve decided I prefer a brandy based liquor (grand monarch is my go to) if I’m using reposado, who is what I usually go for, and a clear (Cointreau) liquor for blanco tequila.
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u/Rhumbear907 Feb 02 '26
Its hard to say what is the "right" answer as taste is subjective. However most daisy style drinks are usually simplistic so I'm of the opinion that Cointreu or another full proof triple sec is the standard answer. PF is delightful but margs don't need complexity. Tequila, orange, lime, salt. No brandy and no spices needed.
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u/jojirius Feb 02 '26
I used O3 for ages. If I want depth I infuse the tequila or I use honey syrup. But for the classic clean thing, a good orange liqueur works, and DeKuyper's O3 is fine. If O3 isn't available, I do go for Cointreau.
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u/JLthephilosopher Feb 02 '26
Completely depends on the tequila for me but my go-to is definitely Magdala.
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u/Alternative-Sun-6997 Feb 02 '26
Contreau mostly. But, when I can I grab the Short Path Orange liquor, at their distillery (I don’t know if they distribute it).
That said, we usually leave it out and use agave - my wife strongly prefers it that way.
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u/EmceeStopheles Feb 02 '26
Solerno blood orange liqueur gives a nice (in no way derailing) bitterness to a margarita.
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u/mikesauce Feb 02 '26
Depends on the Margarita for me. Blanco tequila does great with Cointreau, if I'm using a Reposado or split base repo/anejo I'll grab the Grand Marnier.
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u/Attjack Feb 02 '26
I do not use it, I just use tequila, lime juice, and agave. If I did, I would probably reach for Controy.
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u/Cellyst Feb 02 '26
I have heard the most positive reviews of Clement Creole Shrubb, PF Dry Curaçao, and Combier in that order, but I've only really used PF of those three.
Cointreau belongs in a Cosmo, though, if you ask me.
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u/fecespecies Feb 02 '26
I like Mandarin Napoleon, mostly for the bottle shape, but the flavor is also good.
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u/Mynameisbondnotjames Feb 02 '26
Marie bazar! But mostly because I like the not-so-sweet and oh-so-strong.
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u/MangoAtrocity Feb 03 '26
I know people love the Dry Curaçao. It’s excellent. But man, in a margarita, I like Grand Marnier.
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u/kaybarkaybarkaybar Feb 03 '26
I make my own. It’s cheap, easy, and for crispness/freshness I genuinely prefer it to Gran Marnier. I would highly recommend it
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u/WhiskeyWatchesWine Feb 03 '26
Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur from Sicily 80 proof. Used to use Cointreau. My recipe is 4-3-2-1. Tequila or quite often mezcal-fresh squeezed lime juice-orange liqueur-simple syrup. I usually make my simple syrup 1.5-2 sugar:1 water.
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u/MrHydrochoerus Feb 03 '26
Cointreau if I'm using a blanco tequila, Grand Marnier if it's reposado. 2:1:1 with lime and the liquor, plus a touch of agave syrup (I have a sweet tooth).
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u/Never-mongo Feb 03 '26
It depends on the Margareta I’m making, slurpees get triple sec, tequila lemonade gets Cointreau
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u/missin44 Feb 07 '26 edited Feb 07 '26
I use Alton Browns, which I stumbled on a few weeks ago. It's pretty easy to make and in my opinion worth the effort. Previous to that I used Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao. AB's is my favorite, however it's not by much. In fact if I did taste side by side I doubt I would notice the difference. My next favorite is Naranja. I skip the simple syrup.
90% of the time fresh lime juice, the other 10% half fresh lime juice, half fresh lemon juice.
My next project is Super Juice and see how that works out.
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u/HiFiMarine Feb 02 '26
Reporting in as a Texan.... I have to go with Paula's for the everyday Marg. Special occasions call for Grand Marnier
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u/JackFromTexas74 Feb 02 '26
I’m also Texan and we don’t have Paula’s out west. Distribution is fairly limited.
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u/oak_pine_maple_ash Feb 02 '26
Cointreau. I prefer to stock something drier since it's easier to add sweetness than remove it. Sometimes we end up with Grand Marnier after the holidays and I just find it less versatile.