Taste Test: Cointreau wins, by 17%

On a spectacular Saturday afternoon, Barbara and I met on her porch for another in a series of taste tests to determine the necessary ingredients for the perfect cosmo. (Previous tests included gin vs. vodka; future tests, in addition to pitting brands of gin against each other may also include types of cranberry juice--I just noticed that Barbara uses "Light," and perhaps that makes a difference?--and orange peel vs. lime wedge, because on the Cointreau site there is an instructional video on how to make a cosmo, and they use an orange peel. I'm also thinking I'd like to try fresh lime juice vs. Rose's.)

The test for this day was Cointreau vs. its cheaper cousin, Triple Sec. We were hoping that maybe Triple Sec was as good as Cointreau after all, allowing us to save money on that ingredient, but the side-by-side comparison, which resulted in each of us with two Martini glasses in front of us, yielded the expected results: Cointreau makes for a better cosmo. More taste, more of a "kick," more of a "bite." Just better.

I did some research, and now I know why. As it turns out, "Triple Sec" is a type of liqueur made from orange peels and is generally 23% alcohol. Cointreau, a premium brand triple sec, has 40% alcohol content. So the drinks taste stronger because they are; hence the "kick."

Back to video mentioned above: the bartender in the video does something I don't do and Barbara doesn't do--in fact, I've never seen anyone do it. He pours all the ingredients into the shaker cap, not directly onto the ice in the shaker. Maybe this makes a difference?

I think another taste test is in order.