Sebastian Reusser, Brand Ambassador for Grand Marnier, introduced selected bar professionals to the history of Grand Marnier and shared exciting facts about the manufacturing process of this unique product. To make it, bitter oranges are picked when they are at their aromatic peak and the flavor of each peel is concentrated through slow distillation. Cognac and sugar are added to the bitter orange essence and Grand Marnier is ready.
Gabriel Bodor, bar manager at the Carlton Zurich, proved that Grand Marnier can be used to create attractive drinks. He mixed a Grand Marnier Sour and an Old Fashioned on Experience Day and explained: "The taste of the Sour is complex, a bit sour, but still round. And the mezcal goes great with the Grand Marnier, bitters are great with that."
In the next step, the invited bar professionals are now in demand. They may participate in the new Grand Marnier Cocktail Competition, which is realized by Campari and BAR NEWS. The first to third place winners will win a trip to Grand Marnier in France. For the first and fourth place winners, Grand Marnier organizes an exclusive aperitif in its own bar.
The challenge is to come up with a new recipe for a cocktail that contains at least 3 cl of Grand Marnier as the base and is supplemented with other ingredients. The jury will decide in a preliminary round which 12 participants will compete in the final. The grand final of the Grand Marnier Cocktail Competition will take place on Monday, November 7, 2022 at Lady Suzette in Zurich.
Campari Schweiz AG, Baar
camparigroup.com
Interview with Fabian Bangerter
Customer Marketing Field Coordinator at Campari
BAR NEWS: Why did the Grand Marnier Experience Day take place?
Fabian Bangerter:We wanted to provide an in-depth insight into the history of this traditional brand and present the product range and its outstanding quality features. At the same time, this is the starting point for us to launch an attractive Grand Marnier Cocktail Competition for the invited Barkeeper.
What are Grand Marnier's goals with the Cocktail Competition?
We want to inspire Barkeeper to develop creative recipes and high-quality cocktails with Grand Marnier.
What are the benefits of Grand Marnier?
Grand Marnier has been an integral part of the mixology scene for decades, for example in the 1969 "Moonwalk Cocktail" at the Savoy Hotel London. A cocktail with Grand Marnier brings a lot of storytelling and premium quality.
What distinguishes Grand Marnier?
Grand Marnier is no ordinary Triple Sec, but a blend of first-class Cognac and exotic bitter orange essence. Even the basic Cordon Rouge variant contains 51% cognac, the cuvées always contain at least 82% cognac.
