Triple Sec - Wikipedia

Variety of Curaçao liqueur Triple sec

Type	Liqueur
Origin	France
Introduced	19th century
Alcohol by volume	20%-40%
Proof (US)	40-80° US / 35-70° UK
Color	Clear golden blue
Flavor	Orange

Triple sec is an orange-flavoured liqueur that originated in France. It usually contains 20–40% alcohol by volume.[1]

Triple sec is rarely consumed neat, but is used in preparing many mixed drinks such as margaritas, cosmopolitans, sidecars, Long Island iced teas, and mai tais.

Etymology

[edit]

The origin of the name "triple sec" is disputed. The term is French and composed of triple, with the same meaning as in English, and sec, the French word for "dry". Some sources claim it comes from a triple distillation process used to create the liqueur,[1][2] but others say that a triple distillation is not used.[3][4] Cointreau, a brand of triple sec, is reported to have invented the term based on the three types of orange peels used in the liqueur, although other reports have Cointreau claim the triple to mean "three times the flavour of Curaçaos".[1][5][6]

History

[edit]

Triple sec has been popular for more than 150 years. The Dutch East India Company created orange liqueurs by steeping dried orange peels from places such as the island of Curaçao.[1] Unlike the modern-day triple sec, which contains only the flavor of orange peel, the Dutch version includes herbs and spices, and comes in a variety of colors such as clear, orange, or blue.[1]

The Combier distillery claims that Jean-Baptiste Combier and his wife Josephine invented triple sec in 1834, in their kitchen in Saumur, France.[7] Orange liqueur was rising in popularity after the Dutch introduced Curaçao, and the Combiers sought to create a version that would be true to the orange fruit, they wanted it to be crisp and clean, with orange essential oils as the main feature. To achieve this, the Combier family used bitter oranges that were native to Haiti, and sweet Valencia oranges to balance the flavor.[8] The liqueur was made by sun-drying the various orange peels. After at least 48 hours, they would begin distilling this mixture in copper pots. Lastly, they would put them through a third distillation, to purify the flavor.[8]

In 1875, Cointreau created its version of triple sec and calls it one of the most popular brands.[9] Triple sec gained popularity and was widely known by 1878; at the Exposition Universelle of 1878 in Paris, several distillers were offering "Curaço [sic] triple sec", as well as "Curaço doux".[10]

There has been recent innovation in the world of triple sec outside of France. Due to the popularity of the margarita, other triple sec citrus liquors have been created. In 2024, Mexican distiller Hillhamn Salome distilled a Mexican triple sec with a neutral grain based liquor, rather than sugar beet, that used sweet and bitter oranges, mandarins, and pomelos.[11] Flor de Azar has become known in cocktail circles in both the US and Mexico because of the variety of citrus fruits and Mexican origin.[12] Instead of sweetening with the traditional sugar beet or cane sugar, the product is sweetened with agave syrup.[13]

Production

[edit]

Triple sec is usually made from a spirit derived from sugar beet (used because of its neutral flavor), in which orange peel is steeped. The oranges are harvested when their skin is still green and not fully ripened, so the essential oils remain in the skin rather than the fruit's flesh. The spirit is redistilled and mixed with more neutral spirit, water, and powdered beet sugar, resulting in the final liqueur. This process creates a spirit that has a robust and distinct orange flavor.[1]

See also

[edit]

• Cointreau
• Grand Marnier
• Flor de Azar
• List of liqueurs

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f "Triple sec liqueurs". www.diffordsguide.com. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
2. ^ "Triple Sec". Bar None Drinks. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
3. ^ McKirdy, Tim (3 December 2021). "What's the Difference Between Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Curaçao, and Triple Sec?". VinePair. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
4. ^ "The Insider's Guide to Triple Sec". Cocktail Builder. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
5. ^ "Difference Between Curaçao, Triple Sec & Orange Liqueur Explained". Senior & Co. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
6. ^ "[ Spiritueux Magazine ] Triple sec ou liqueur d'orange, quelle est la différence entre un Cointreau et un Grand Marnier ?". Retrieved 2023-10-27.
7. ^ "Original Combier". Combier. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
8. ^ a b "The Combier Story // History // Combier Liqueurs". www.combierusa.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
9. ^ "Cointreau". Rémy Cointreau. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
10. ^ The Lancet Analytical Commission, "Report on the Food Products exhibited in the French and English Departments of the Universal Exhibition of Paris", The Lancet, 21 September 1878, p. 417f.
11. ^ Flor de Azar https://azarspirits.com/
12. ^ Vinepair [1]
13. ^ Skurnik Wine and Spirits [2]

v t e Alcoholic beverages
History and production History of alcohol History of alcoholic beverages History of beer History of wine History of Bordeaux wine History of Champagne History of Chianti History of Rioja wine History of Sherry Production Alcohol industry Bathtub gin Brewing Brewery Malting Lautering Wort Yeast Distillation Drinking establishments Fermentation Simple syrup Yeast in winemaking Winemaking Yeast in winemaking
Fermented drinks by ingredients Fruit Apple Cider Banana Banana beer Banana wine Bignay Bignay wine Bokbunja Bokbunja-ju Grape Madeira wine Marsala wine Mistelle Moscatel de Setúbal Orange wine Port wine Red wine Rosé wine Sherry Vermouth White wine Java plum Duhat wine Longan Longan wine Lychee Lychee wine Pear Perry Pineapple Tepache Plum Plum jerkum Pomegranate Rimon Prickly pear Colonche Various fruits Conditum Dubonnet Hippocras Jabol Mulled wine Nabidh Pruno Sangria Cereals Barley Barley wine Corn Mageu Pozol Tejuino Tesgüino Millet Oshikundu Tongba Rice Agkud Amazake Apo Beopju Brem Choujiu Chuak Dansul Gwaha-ju Hariya Makgeolli Mijiu Mirin Pangasi Rice wine Rượu cần Sake Sato Shaoxing wine Sonti Tapai Tapuy Zu Rye Kvass Sorghum Pendhā Multiple grains Ale Ara Beer Boza Huangjiu Other Agave americana Pulque Coconut and other palms Bahalina Palm wine Tuak Tubâ Tuhak Tunggang Dairy Kumis Ginger Ginger wine Galangal Byais Honey Bais Byais Kabarawan Mead Sugar Kilju Sugarcane or molasses Basi Intus Palek Tea Fermented tea Kombucha Various starches Cauim Chicha Parakari Ibwatu
Liquors by ingredients Fruit Apple Applejack Calvados Cashew apple Feni Cherry Kirschwasser Dates Araqi Fig Boukha Grape Arak Armagnac Brandy Cognac Pisco Zivania Juniper Gin Plum Slivovitz Țuică Pomace Chacha Grappa Marc Orujo Tsikoudia Tsipouro Zivania Various fruits Brandy Eau de vie Geist Himbeergeist Marillenschnaps Nalewka Oghi Pálinka Rakia Schnaps Cereals Barley Irish whiskey Japanese whisky Scotch whisky Beer Bierbrand Buckwheat Buckwheat whisky Maize Bourbon whiskey Corn whiskey Tennessee whiskey Rice Awamori Cheongju Cholai Lao-Lao Lihing Mixiang Baijiu Shochu Soju Sulai Rye Korn Rye whiskey Starka Sorghum Baijiu (Kaoliang liquor) Multiple grains Ara American whiskey Baijiu Canadian whisky Shōchū Whisky Other Agave Mezcal Tequila Coconut and other palms Arrack Laksoy Lambanog Sotol Dairy Arkhi Maple syrup Acerum Sugarcane or molasses Aguardiente Cachaça Clairin Desi daru Guaro Rum Seco Herrerano Sulai Sura Tharra Various starches Aguardiente Akvavit Bangla Horilka Poitín Shōchū Vodka
Liqueurs and infused distilled drinks by ingredients Almond Amaretto Crème de Noyaux Anise Absinthe Anisado Anisado Mallorca Anisette Arak Hierbas Hierbas de Mallorca Mastika Ouzo Rakı Sambuca Beer Bierlikör Blackcurrant buds Kontabas Blackthorn shrub Patxaran Cherry Cherry Heering Guignolet Maraschino Wiśniówka/Vyshnivka Chili peppers Pertsivka Chocolate Chocolate liqueur Cinnamon Tentura Cloudberry Lakka Coconut Malibu Coffee Kahlúa Tia Maria Cream Cream liqueur Irish cream Egg Advocaat Eggnog Hazelnut Frangelico Herbs Amaro Aquavit Aperol Becherovka Bénédictine Bitters Brennivín Chartreuse Crème de menthe Crème de violette Jägermeister Kräuterlikör Metaxa Riga Black Balsam Vana Tallinn Unicum Żubrówka Honey Bärenjäger Drambuie Glayva Irish Mist Krambambula Krupnik Juniper Borovička Brinjevec Gin Jenever Mammee apple flower Eau créole Maple syrup Maple liqueur Orange Cointreau Curaçao Grand Marnier Triple sec Raspberry Chambord Star anise Pastis Sassolino Sugarcane/molasses Charanda Vanilla Licor 43 Various fruits Campari Cedratine Crème de banane Crème de cassis Limoncello Nalewka Schnapps Sloe gin Walnut Nocino
List

v t e Citrus
True species	Australian and Papuan wild limes group Citron Ichang papeda Kaffir lime Kumquats group Mandarin orange Mangshanyegan Mountain citron Pomelo Ryukyu mandarin
Major hybrids	Grapefruit Lemon Lime Orange (sweet orange)
True and hybridcultivars	Alemow Amanatsu Assam lemon Bergamot orange Bizzarria Bitter orange Blood lime Blood orange Byeonggyul Biasong Cam sành Cara Cara navel orange Citrange Citrumelo Citrus taiwanica Clementine Coorg orange Daidai Dekopon Encore Fairchild tangerine Florentine citron Forbidden fruit Ginger lime Haruka Hassaku Hebesu Heen naran Hyuganatsu Imperial lemon Indian wild orange Iyokan Jabara Jaffa orange Jamaican tangelo Kabbad Kabosu Kaji Nemu Kakadu lime Kalpi Kanpei Kawachi bankan Key lime Khasi papeda Kinkoji unshiu Kinnow Kishu mikan Kiyomi Kobayashi mikan Koji Komikan Laraha Lemonade fruit Limón de Pica Lumia Mandelo Mandora Melanesian papeda Melogold Meyer lemon Micrantha Midknight Valencia Orange Murcott Myrtle-leaved orange tree Nagpur orange Nasnaran New Zealand grapefruit Ōgonkan Orangelo/Chironja Oroblanco Palestinian sweet lime Persian lime Pixie mandarin Pompia Ponderosa lemon Ponkan Rangpur Reikou Rhobs el Arsa Rough lemon Samuyao Sanbokan Satsuma mandarin Setoka Shangjuan Shonan Gold Smith Red Valencia Sudachi Suruga yuko Sweet lemon Sweet limetta Tangelo Tangerine Tangor Tsunonozomi Valencia orange Variegated pink lemon Volkamer lemon Winged lime Xã Đoài orange Yūkō Yuzu
Citrons	Balady citron Corsican citron Diamante citron Fingered citron/Buddha's hand Greek citron Moroccan citron Yemenite citron
Mandarin oranges	Cleopatra mandarin Shīkwāsā Nanfengmiju Tachibana Willowleaf orange
Papedas	Celebes papeda Mountain "citron" Ichang papeda
Pomelos	Banpeiyu Dangyuja
Kumquats group	Kumquat species Hong Kong kumquat Meiwa kumquat Oval kumquat Round kumquat Jiangsu kumquat Malayan kumquat Kumquat hybrids (× Citrofortunella) Calamansi Citrangequat Limequat Mandarinquat Procimequat Sunquat Yuzuquat
Australianand Papuanwild limes group	Eromocitrus (former genera) Desert lime Microcitrus (former genera) New Guinea wild lime Australian round lime Russell River lime Maiden's wild lime Mount White lime Australian finger lime Brown River finger lime Clymenia (former genera) Clymenia platypoda Clymenia polyandra Oxanthera (former genera) Orange-flowered oxanthera Large-leaf oxanthera Wavy-leaf oxanthera Oxanthera brevipes
Related genera(perhapsproperly Citrus)	Poncirus/Trifoliate orange
Drinks	Calamansi juice Chūhai Dried lime tea (noomi basra) Grapefruit juice Lemon liqueur Cedratine Curaçao Limoncello Lemonade Mint lemonade Swiss lemonade Lime cordial Limeade Orange juice Triple sec Yuja-hwachae Yuja tea
Products	Calcium citrate Citric acid Chenpi Dried lime Lemonene Limonene Marmalade Neroli Oleo saccharum Orange flower water Orange oil Orange oil tires Orangeat Pickled lime Chanh muối Preserved lemon Succade Zest Twist
Diseases	Black spot Canker CTV/Tristeza Exocortis Greening Mal secco Phytophthora citricola
Citrus botanists	Clara H. Hasse Robert Willard Hodgson Lena B. Smithers Hughes David Mabberley Clément Rodier Robert Soost Walter Tennyson Swingle Chōzaburō Tanaka Ikuro Takahashi Johann Christoph Volkamer Herbert John Webber
Citrus production	Citrus rootstock Kumquat production in China Lemon Capital of the World Lime production in Mexico Orange production in Brazil
Related topics	The Citrus Industry Citrus taxonomy Cold-hardy citrus Hesperidium Japanese citrus List of citrus fruits Mother Orange Tree Orangery University of California Citrus Experiment Station University of California, Riverside Citrus Variety Collection
Category Production Commons