3 Forgotten Grand Marnier Classics
Don't discount this elegant Cognac-based orange liqueur.
Carey Jones
Even if you've never tried a sip of Grand Marnier , odds are you can recognize the bottle as a staple in bars around the world. This elegant orange liqueur is versatile to use in cocktails that are easy to make at home, too.
Distinguished by a base largely made from aged French brandy, Grand Marnier is richer and more complex than most other orange liqueurs. Its smooth, supple Cognac flavor is unmistakable, and at up to 80 proof, it truly packs a punch.
It's delicious and critical in well-known drinks such as the Margarita or the Sidecar, but more-or-less unchanged since its introduction to the world at the end of the 19th century. Grand Marnier has also played a role in several lesser-known classics over the years. Ever heard of The Marny? The Red Lion? Neither had we, but now that we've tried them — and, in some cases, oh-so-slightly tweaked them — we're loving these all-but-forgotten drinks. Read on to learn how to use Grand Marnier to make three forgotten classic cocktails.
Easy: The Marny
Carey Jones
The only thing better than discovering a new favorite cocktail? Finding out it only needs two ingredients. Yep, two. Stirring together a good London dry gin and Grand Marnier results in a rich, surprisingly smooth cocktail that has all of gin's herbal-botanical character, but the rich orange flavor oh-so-slightly tones it down. Dating to the 1930s, we think it's high time for this drink to return to the scene.
Intermediate: The Moonwalk
Carey Jones
In 1969, a bartender at London's Savoy Hotel—beloved to cocktail nerds for more than a century—invented this drink for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Any guesses on what occasion it commemorated? After the two men returned to Earth — and sat through a government-imposed quarantine — this was the first drink they were lucky enough to sip. Fresh grapefruit, rich orange liqueur, and a good pour of bubbles; what's not to love?
Advanced: Red Lion
Carey Jones
Plenty of brands, bars, and the like host cocktail competitions these days; but few of the award-winning drinks will stick around for posterity. Yet the Red Lion, a first-place winner from a 1933 London competition, has found its way into many classic cocktail tomes. Perhaps it's the simplicity that explains the appeal, a lovely gin sour, vibrant with fresh orange and lemon, with Grand Marnier adding depth and a supplementary orange note. Easy drinking as can be!
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