De Kuyper Triple Sec (40%)

De Kuyper is a traditional Dutch distillery. It has been operated for over 300 years and is still a family company. De Kuyper is focused on various alcoholic products  and is best known for its large selection of liqueurs. Triple Sec is one of De Kuyper’s gore products and the company has been producing it for over hundred years. The citrus aroma comes from oranges distilled by the company itself. The oranges used are not only the sweet yellow ones you see in the food store, but also small, green and bitter ones, which are only used in the food industry. Triple Sec is made from neutral alcohol (usually made from sugar beet, so the taste is as neutral as possible), water, sugar and natural orange flavoring. De Kuyper Triple sec is quite widely available in various stores, in Estonia a 50 cl bottle costs €10.

It is clear in the glass, but the slightly sticky consistency already suggests that it is a rather sweet product. The nose has a pleasantly orange flavor. It’s not aggressive or essency in any point. Ethanol vapors also come out quite strongly from the background. The mouthfeel is not so thick, and the taste is not as sweet as might be expected. The taste has sweet orange and something bitter like lemon peel, but does not have the same aroma as limoncellos. The aftertaste has a bit of tender spiciness, sugar and alcohol bite. De Kuyper Triple Sec is slightly drier than Cointreau. The taste is also not so rich and luscious. De Kuyper Triple Sec is straightforward and clear orange liqueur, but quite sharp and alcoholic. For sipping neat, Cointreau and Grand Marnier are clearly better. De Kuyper is clearly focused on cocktails. With the price being at least a third cheaper compared to the ones mentioned above, it is quite a good and high-quality product for Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Sidecar and dozens of other cocktails. The price-quality ratio of it is undeniably one of the best on the market.

85/100

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