Decorating & Design
This Cognac And Orange Liqueur Is Crafted In A Historical French Castle
Updated on January 20, 2025
French writer Victor Hugo coined cognac as the “liquor of the gods,” and Patrick Leger, Grand Marnier’s master blender and director of operations, would likely agree. Cognac is incredibly special. “For a liqueur to be called a cognac, it has to use white grapes harvested in the vineyards of the Cognac region of France,” says Patrick. “There are more than 90,000 hectares of white grapes exclusively dedicated to cognac production.”
Because each vineyard in Cognac produces a liquor with unique characteristics due to the region’s six terroirs and various soil types, making cognac is an art form — one that Grand Marnier has perfected with its classic Cordon Rouge.
A Storied French Tradition
Known as the perfect union of cognac and orange liqueur, Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge has thrived for nearly 150 years. Created in 1880 by Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, Cordon Rouge is aged, blended, and distilled at the Château de Bourg-Charente, a 13th-century castle in the Cognac region of France. Grand Marnier’s secret blend of aged eau-de-vies and bitter orange essence is distilled in a copper pot still, then aged in French oak casks creating a complex, well-balanced cognac liqueur that is revered to this day.
Grand Marnier’s ingredient that sets it apart is Citrus Bigaradia, or bitter orange, which is renowned for its fragrance and flavour. “Eighty per cent of the world’s bitter orange is used in fragrances for brands like Hermès and Dior,” says Patrick. “For Grand Marnier, we pick the orange when it’s still green on the trees to maximize essential oils, freshness and bitterness.” The orange’s bitterness and richness of its essential oils combined with the powerful tannins of the cognac are the perfect marriage. Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge is a young yet full-bodied cognac liqueur with notes of hazelnut, toffee and bitter orange.
The brand also continues to launch special editions with limited production, the most recent being Grand Marnier Quintessence, released in Canada in 2024. Crafted by Patrick from Grand Marnier’s oldest and rarest reserves, there are fewer than 1,000 bottles — each in its own Baccarat crystal decanter — available to purchase worldwide, and a handful released to Canada in 2025 And, at C$6,000 per bottle, we recommend savouring every sip.
Master Blender
It’s only natural that Patrick has become Grand Marnier’s gatekeeper of quality. His family has been in cognac for the past five generations. “My passion for cognac comes from my father and grandfather, who were wine growers,” he says. “When I was five years old, I was already playing in the distillery, smelling the cognac.”
Today, Patrick is making his mark with Quintessence, Grand Marnier’s most exclusive and rarest release. “It’s powerful, woody and spicy. When you taste it, it’s like a flavour explosion in your mouth — it’s really incredible!”
The possibilities are endless when creating a Grand Marnier liqueur while maintaining its iconic cognac + orange liqueur liquid DNA “When we use a different blend of cognac — even with the same orange liqueur — we obtain something different,” says Patrick. “After two, five, 20, 30, 50, even 100 years, due the variations in the aromatic components, terroirs and soil, the liqueur is transformed.” The brand continues to refine its original formula, creating exclusive cognac blends including Cuvee du Centenaire, Cuvèe Louis Alexandre, Grand Cuvee Révélation and the latest and rarest special edition with limited production — Grand Cuvee Quintessence.
How to Enjoy
Patrick’s favourite way to experience Grand Marnier is mixed in a cocktail — a Grand Margarita, to be precise. He recommends adding black pepper if you like things spicy!
GRAND MARGARITA RECIPE
1 oz. Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
1½ oz. Espolon Tequila
¾ oz. Fresh lime juice
½ oz. Agave or simple syrup
In a shaker, combine all ingredients, adding ice and shake. Strain into a salted-rim glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.