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"Cointreau, a challenge to your senses" the advertising blurb used to boast. I always thought that was not only an overstatement, but stupidly pretentious. These days they're going with "Glow with cointreau" instead and it's not a huge improvement. All the same, marketing aside, it's an excellent beverage nonetheless.

Cointreau is an orange flavoured liquer with a pleasant, soft taste. it is a clear and sweet spirit, most often drunk straight or on ice. It is named after its inventor and has been in existence for over 150 years, seeing little change from the original recipe. The basis of it is oranges, selected when young and fresh to capitalise on the distinctive smell.

Cointreau is a strong favourite of many people, often taken in preference to the equally common orange liquer, Grand Marnier. Cointreau is sweeter with less bite and its consistency is less syrupy. In terms of strength, Cointreau is on a par with most spirits, rolling in at a high 40% alcohol by volume.

The packaging has been well thought out and remains a classic - it comes in a variety of volumes but always in a dark amber bottle with a solid square look to it. The distinctive logo is emblazened across the front of the attached white label and the neck is often tagged with a red ribbon.

Although commonly drunk straight, Cointreau makes a splendid ingredient for numerous coctails from the rather odd Beelzebub (cointreau, vodka, chili sauce) to the tamer penguino (light rum, cointreau, tonic water). Alternatively adding lemonade, orange juice or other mixers offer a refreshing tall drink with just a hint of alcoholic flavouring.

Particularly enthusiastic drinkers can choose to visit the cointreau museum in france or investigate the drink further on the custom built web site (http://www.cointreau.com/) where you can also pick up some Cointreau e-cards or a screensaver.

It's a very pleasant drink, though a little too sweet to drink more than a couple in an evening, and it offers a great alternative to the harsher spirits. It is very tasty and distinctive, a little sharper than Grand Marnier and more eaisly sipped. It is very potent, though, beware of even small measures as this stuff can make you very drunk very quickly. Also, if you're not used to it be careful not to breathe in too deeply as you drink Cointreau - it has a very distinctive aroma but it delivers quite a punch. Your eyes may well water after a good sniff of this.

I've been drinking Cointreau for years and usually have a bottle in the house - it makes a nice evening tipple when sitting in front of the TV if served in a good size measure over ice. A real classic - if you like oranges and fancy something with a bit of a bite, give it a try.

Learn more about this author, Max Lehmann.
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