We Taste Test The New Cointreau Spicy, And See How It Performs In A Spicy Margarita, Paloma & Pulpy Mango Fruit Cocktail
The world's most famous Cointreau - the Orange Triple Sec produced in Saint Barthelemy-d'Anjou that's a must-have for any Margarita cocktail - is getting spicy!
As many would have observed, each passing year has brought on an ever more insatiable desire for cocktails - and really everything - that are bolder and more forward. This of course is often interpreted as spicy! And so each year, bartenders around the world vie for the palates of guests by devising all sorts of ingenious ways (read: borderline mad genius) to produce that kick, from straight up adding hot sauce to clarifying ghost peppers in order to glean out the most intense essence of punchiness. By God, every year we stray further and further from the light, and don't for one second think that we aren't so down for it!
A vintage Cointreau poster from 1930 by Charles Louput.
Now to that end, Cointreau seems to have picked up on this - they're listening, we're certain of it - and have thus debuted their new Cointreau Spicy. We're supposing that the goal here is to help cut it with all the crazy means by which folks have engineered to add spice to their cocktails - Cointreau specifically cites the Spicy Margarita - and therefore offer a one-stop spicy kick in a bottle that's consistent and easy to use. What a bunch of lads! And wouldn't you know it, they were right on the mark! The moment it was announced, the entire cocktail world went nuts! Everyone wanted to try it, and we're pretty certain we're going to see more outlandish things from here on out - so strap on your seatbelts, because we're in for a ride! And of course, we were first in line to get to try it!
But first let's get into the specs. So Cointeau's Triple Sec, which was first created in 1875 by brothers Adolphe and Edouard-Jean Cointreau (who were confectioners), is of course made with a closely guarded secret process that broadly speaking involves the infusing of sundried sweet and bitter orange peels in alcohol, which is then re-distilled, diluted and sweetened - there are many interpretations of a Triple Sec, but only one Cointreau. With the Cointreau Spicy, an additional ingredient was added to the secret recipe, and that is - get this - Bird's Eye Chili. Along with one of the most commonly available spicy chillis, other natural chilli and jalapeno flavours were infused into the mix as well, with a final touch of natural cucumber.
With all that said, it's time to give it a go! We'll taste it neat first, just to orientate ourselves and get to know the new Cointreau Spicy singularly, and then taste test how it performs in three cocktails - a Spicy Margarita, a Spicy Paloma, and a Spicy Mango Fruit cocktail.
Let's go!
Liqueur Review: Cointreau Spicy, 30% ABV (Neat)
Tasting Notes
Colour: Bight copper.
Aroma: Very bright, honeyed and expressive, with a golden tropical fruits character and high-toned ester quality reminding me of lighter marques of Jamaican rum. Opens with tons of orange confectionary character right away - orange oils, orange cake, candied orange peel, orange suprême, and citrus glaze. There’s a light, sweet, slightly solventy banana note. A fresh vegetal note of green jalapeños and birds eye chilli – more in flavour than heat - The spice feels very moderate on the nose.
Taste: Clean and bright, with a medium body, a texture that is lightly coating and softly viscous. There's honey, brown sugar, orange oil, orange cake, orange cordial in a lightly syrupy frame. Alongside that sweetness we have dried chilli flakes building very gradually and seamlessly into the finish.
Finish: Very long, seamless, and persistent. Orange syrup continues beside an increasingly pronounced peppery heat with a lightly vegetal green jalapeño profile. The chilli pepper heat clings to the middle of the tongue and carries down the throat.
My Thoughts
This is a very clever and tasty riff on the Cointreau Classic (Cointreau L’Unique) that unlocks a neat range of new cocktail experiments. Compared to the Cointreau Classic, this comes in at a more modest 30% ABV. While the orange tones are prominent here, they’re brighter in character, with the body staying on the lighter side - medium bodied, softly viscous and not heavy. It also almost feels like we’re drinking a cask strength rum or whisky in effect because of the chilli spice. I enjoy how the chilli is introduced very gradually, so that the initial sip does not faze you at all and it’s quite drinkable. It grows very seamlessly and gradually besides the sweetness of the orange, adding a whole lot of life. The orange stays central, but the chilli gradually grows into becoming an equal partner. The chilli notes also feel a little more layered than the typical chilli character you'd get in a buffalo wing sauce or Mexican hot sauces with those fresh and lightly vegetal notes.
Left to Right: Spicy Margarita, Mango Spicy, Spicy Paloma.
Lighter Citrus-led Cocktail vs Thick Pulpy Cocktails
The heat of the Cointreau Spicy comes through much clearer in lighter, citrus-driven cocktails - like a Spicy Margarita or Spicy Paloma - which we tasted - or Daiquiri or Gimlet-style drinks. The chilli is very vivid and seems to enhance the dry bite of the existing citrus - almost like the effect of a clear tom yum soup.
But where I think this truly shines is when you pair the Cointreau Spicy with a really thick and pulpy smoothie-like set up, like a cocktail made with blended mango, ripe pineapples or other fruit purées. This is especially good in a Mango Spicy cocktail that reminds us of eating mango con chile. You have that thick layer of tropical and fruity mango juice garnished by the Cointreau Spicy. The heat adds life and contrast, while the richness and sweetness of the fruit immediately provides a cushion against the pepper, partially neutralising the heat at the same time.
Spicy Margarita
Cointreau Spicy, Tequila, Lime, Tajin
Mango Spicy
Cointreau Spicy, Tequila, Mango, Lime, Tajin
Spicy Paloma
Cointreau Spicy, Lemon Juice, Grapefruit Soda
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