A
French orange
liqueur.
Grand Marnier is made with
cognac and the essence of wild tropical oranges, according to the label.
Although the original distillery was founded near Paris in 1827 by Jean -Baptiste Lapostolle, the liqueur was not created until 1880, by one Louis Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, the son-in-law of the Eugene Lapostolle, the owner and son of founder Jean-Baptiste. The new liqueur was a blend of traditional French cognac and orange, which was a rare and exotic fruit at that time.
Alexndre went against the "Petit" naming trend of the period by calling his creation "Grand Marnier". Cesar Ritz, owner of the palatial hotels which bore his name, was a close friend of Louis Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, and he introduced the liqueur to the Savoy in London, with great success.
The Prince of Wales, future King Edward VII, became a fan of Grand Marnier while staying at a Parisian hotel. The legendary chef Escoffier honored the prince by creating a dish called the Crepe Suzette, named for a good French friend of the future king.
Today, Grand Marnier has the largest export sales of any French liqueur.
Grand Marnier is one of the primary ingredients in good margaritas, as well as my favorite liqueur for use in Margarita Grilled Tuna.