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Triple Sec vs Orange Curaçao
The two orange liqueur styles, and which one the Margarita and the Mai Tai each assume.
Which should you use?
Triple sec is the clear, dry, bright one; curaçao is usually richer, more bittersweet and sometimes built on brandy. Triple sec belongs in the Margarita, the Sidecar and the Cosmopolitan. Curaçao belongs in the Mai Tai and older recipes that name it.
| Dimension | Triple sec | Orange curaçao |
|---|---|---|
| Typical strength | 30% ABV | 30% ABV |
| Flavour | Clean, sweet orange | Bittersweet, richer orange peel |
| Colour | Clear | Clear to amber; blue if coloured |
| Base | Usually neutral spirit | Neutral spirit, or brandy in some styles |
| Legal status | A style, not a defined category | A style, not a defined category |
Using one in place of the other
They swap more happily than most pairs here; the drink gets richer with curaçao and brighter with triple sec. Blue curaçao changes the colour and usually little else.