A Flowery Song

Background: This French triple sec uses cognac  as the base spirit.  “Cordon Rouge” means “Red Ribbon” and is the standard version; there are a couple of types made with older brandies, as well as a cheaper Cordon Jaune made with neutral grain spirits.

Nose: Sweet and fruity, showing vanilla and a hint of pith over a background of floral orange.

Taste: Well-balanced blend of orange zest, fruity notes from the brandy, and a bit of oak influence mainly showing up as vanilla.  Lingering oily orange finish.  A bit spirity.

(The water, she likes me.  I can tell.)

Nose: Not much new.  A bit of caramel.

Taste: A lot of the brandy character coming through, though still mainly generic fruit and vanilla.  Some caramel on the front end, accompanied  by the more floral aspects of the orange flavour.  The slightest portion of pith starts to come through in the middle.

Overall: Sipping a glass of this while nibbling on a bar of good chocolate is bliss.  Stands well on its own.

Background: Orange flavoured liqueur produced by Rémy Cointreau. Beet sugar alcohol infused with a secret blend of sweet and bitter orange peels.

Nose: Sweet fruity orange with a light spirity bite.

Taste: Slightly bitter pithy orange, developing into a sweetish middle followed by a long, oily finish.

(Wasser, bitte. Hmm, becomes slightly milky.)

Nose: Pithy undertones detectable.

Taste: Sweetness appears earlier.

Overall: Pretty nice for sipping straight, and a very useful mixer to have around. I always did enjoy the taste of orange peel, and people that don't probably won't like this drink. Good as an apéritif.