Grand Marnier Tasting

We don’t just sample wine at Rosenblum Cellars. Sometimes, other beverages are in order. Most often, that is a bottle or two of bubbly after work, but last Thursday evening became margarita madness. It started out with a Grand Marnier taste test. Now, you might be asking why I’m even writing about this on a wine blog. But it is related, more than I thought. I never really thought about what Grand Marnier was, other than an orange-flavored liqueur that went nicely into margaritas. Come to find out, it’s made in Cognac, in that same method, which I would have known had I ever taken the time to read the back label. It comes from the Ugni Blanc grape and goes through two separate distillations in copper stills, then added to neutral alcohol soaked with dried orange peels from Citrus Bigaradia. After that blending, it is aged in French oak.

And then there’s Grand Marnier Cuvee Speciale Cent Cinquantenaire. This one was created in 1977 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the company and is a blend of rare cognac reserves, aged up to 50 years, primarily from Grande Champagne. Price difference? $220 instead of the normal $30. Taste difference? The first (cheaper) one was exceedingly orangey. The second was smoky and thicker, like maple syrup, with notes of caramel. It seemed to have more alcohol, though they were both the same. Definitely more interesting than the basic and I can certainly imagine sipping it out of a snifter on a cold evening, especially if there were a roaring fire. However, I don’t think I would dish out that much more if I were paying. Enjoy this one on someone else’s dime….

Image source:Farley Walker