One of the most flummoxing things about starting to make certain cocktails was that ingredients have a way of sounding like one another. After all, whiskey is also whisky, bourbon is whiskey, and scotch is whisky. Much like Scotch isn’t Bourbon though, not all curaçao are equivalent – well not exactly anyway. So when you think about orange liqueurs, where does Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao fit?
What is Curaçao?
To start – let’s just establish what curaçao is. Historically speaking, curacao was a liqueur made from the Laraha orange’s extract. This bitter orange wasn’t much for eating, but the peels were aromatic. Figuring out this could be made into liqueur with neutral spirits or brandy, curaçao was born. Supposedly seeking to help give some mystique, Bols is said to have added the blue coloring to the concoction.
In addition to Bols adding blue coloring, there’s some debate as to who exactly started the name Triple Sec (which in this case, you can use synonymously with curacao). Some claim it came from Cointreau, who went through multiple iterations of branding – and ultimately removed it once a flood of cheap triple sec hit the market. Others claim it was a label for the distillation process. Regardless of where it started, Triple Sec supplanted Curaçao in some name conventions, and you can now swap the names interchangeably.
But what about the ingredients? While you’ve probably experienced blue curacao at one point or another it would be a mistake to think that it was identical to other curaçaos – like Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao. The magic in this starts with the base, and develops from there through the addition of spices and the orange used. Some ingredients, like your Mr. Boston Triple Sec are low level, orange flavored neutral spirits gussied up with sugar. Others, like Grand Marnier, are brandy based and intrinsically have underlying notes of oakiness and grape brandy.
Depending on the other flavors in your drink, sometimes you can get away with this. A bold or aged tequila might play well with brandy based curacao like Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao in a Margarita. While something more subtle though, might require the use of a neutral spirit like Cointreau – which is our go to recommendation as it will work regardless.
As a note: While some will probably fight me on this, not all Blue Curaçao are bad, notably Giffard makes a lovely one.
On It’s Own: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao is modeled after classic early 20th century French orange. It features Laraha oranges infused in grape brandy, combined with a distillate of walnut skins and prunes aged in brandy and cognac, and toasted sugar aged in barrels.
Sight: A beautiful golden color with hints of orange
Smell: Macerated orange peels float out on the nose and mix with various orange notes. Candied characteristics layer with touches of pith and notes of nuttiness and grapes build around the edges.
Sip: The body starts out round and quickly shows it sweetness. A good amount of brightness keeps things level. The orange is front and center, bringing a mix of orange flavors out. There’s a bit of the pith and a strong backbone of woodsy, nutty, sweet caramelized sugar.
Savor: The ending rounds out sweet – but slowly turns pithy. The flavor of candied oranges and slightly nutty cognac lingers.
I’d be remiss to tell you that Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao was anything other than luscious and delectable. The subtle complexity wafting up on the nose, and the well rounded palate make it a pleasure to sip. Thanks to its sizable character, it also plays great in cocktails, and is an ingredient that shows up in the world of Tiki cocktails. On of the most notable of which is the classic El Presidente highlighted in Smuggler’s Cove*, featuring a solid mix of grenadine, dry vermouth, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, and Lightly Aged Rum.
Final Thoughts:
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao is a wonderful orange liqueur that’s well worth the price. Check it out if you’re into Tiki or want a new orange liqueur experience with an extra French historical flare.
If Pierre Ferrand seems familiar, or you want to try something else by them, check out our past reviews of Plantation 20th Anniversary and O.F.T.D for some of their excellent rums. For even more info, check out Pierre Ferrand’s Site.