New Cointreau lands on our shores

By Sacha Delfosse – editor bars&clubs

Suntory Australia will be launching Cointreau Noir, a new product that blends cognac with Cointreau, into local bars and bottle shops on April 1.

Cointreau Noir was created by master distiller Bernadette Langlais, who was inspired by an old recipe from the early 1900s for a Cointreau and cognac blend created by Edouard Cointreau, which was called ‘Majestic’.

Langlais’ version blends 70 per cent Cointreau orange liqueur with 30 per cent Rémy Martin cognac that was especially made for Cointreau. Her original recipe also includes macerations of nuts and almonds.

Alfred Cointreau, a 6th generation member of the Cointreau family who arrived in Australia this week for the launch of Cointreau Noir, told TheShout that Langlais had taken the original Majestic recipe and given it “a feminine and glamorous touch”.

Cointreau said the new product was crafted with several objectives in mind, including providing a product for lovers of single malt whisky and dark rum as well as making cognac more approachable for female drinkers.

“We also created Cointreau Noir to educate the American culture to neat or on ice consumption,” said Cointreau.

“We are looking forward to seeing the feedback from consumers and bartenders, which so far has all been good.”

He said he is also looking forward to seeing what type of cocktails local bartenders come up with using Cointreau Noir, as he highly regards the Australian cocktail culture.

“I think after a few months in Australia we will have very good [Cointreau Noir] cocktail recipes because I think the creativity of bartenders here is quite good.”