Triple Sec

daveyjoe

Where's a good place to go to buy some reasonably cheap triple sec? I've seen Cointreau around but it's priced at nearly €30 for 70cl, far too expensive for my liking.

tippguy

have you seen the new smirnoff cosmopoloten with triple sec?? only €14.99

BeerNut

Superquinn used to do a fairly cheap one. Dunno if they still do though.

daveyjoe

Thanks guys, just decided to splash out on Cointreau this morning from tesco (about €28 for 70cl I think). Gonna go look for a cheaper triple sec next time (so please keep posting advice) but I needed it for cocktails tonight.

moonflower

tippguy wrote: »

have you seen the new smirnoff cosmopoloten with triple sec?? only €14.99

It's vile, don't bother.

Saruman

As Beernut said, superquinn but I have also seen cheap ones in Dunnes.
Nothing can compare to the US* where you can get it for $3 for a litre.
I make a decent Margarita.

*got it for about €3 in Lanzarote

JIZZLORD

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/2827_9725.htm

might be worth a try

rubadub

tippguy wrote: »

have you seen the new smirnoff cosmopoloten with triple sec?? only €14.99

It is quite expensive considering it only is 15%, basically it is watered down normal smirnoff with flavourings, so it has 0.4 of a normal bottle 37.5% which would cost €8. Therefore your flavourings are costing €7.

some reviews are class.
http://www.spiritsreview.com/reviews-rtd-smirnoff-mojito.html

Notes: The designation "mojito" is a misnomer; mojitos contain RUM, not vodka. This would be closer to a gimlet - they are trying to dress up this abortion with a trendy name and bastardize mojitos - despite what the sullen argumentative oaf peddling this crap at a liquor store was trying to promote.

Appearance: Hazylight green white color- like a hair or dental product.

First Impression: Lime scented wax urinal freshener (those white waxy lumps in the urinal), industrial sanitizer / air freshener notes with wood alcohol / methanol overtones. Smells more like an industrial cleaning product than something you would voluntarily chose to drink.

Taste: Insipid, lime with wood chips or wood alcohol. Vile tasting lime tinged horse piss.

Drinks: No, none, not any. People have reported falling ill from this stuff (see below) - probably allergies - but it is irredeemably filthy tasting stuff.

Cigars: White Owl.

Final Thoughts: Vile tasting crap so foul that Amy Winehouse wouldn't touch after 6 weeks in rehab.This abomination does an extreme disservice to the term mojito. Rum producers everywhere should make an effort to find and lynch whatever marketing geniuses came up with calling this filth a mojito. Better yet drown them in this stuff.That is the only fit use for it.

My lowest rating, EVER!

No review for the cosmo

daveyjoe wrote: »

Where's a good place to go to buy some reasonably cheap triple sec? I've seen Cointreau around but it's priced at nearly €30 for 70cl, far too expensive for my liking.

I would sooner pay the €28 for proper cointreau, it is 40% and uses decent spirits. The higher % means you have to add less vodka to cocktails, and the alcohol in cointreau is superior to the main brands of vodka out there anyway.

And before somebody moans saying they do not care about the alcohol content (or value it) then why the hell are you paying for the alcohol? You can get quality liquer flavourings on their own.

http://partymanshop.com/en/essences-liquor-1/?zenid=d7c38a16350b4875cd8de5007d76b7ae

BeerNut

rubadub wrote: »

I would sooner pay the €28 for proper cointreau

Comparing margaritas made with Cointreau against those with the cheap-ass Superquinn Triple Sec, I preferred the latter. I think I like the oranges a bit more muted than you get with Cointreau.

Saruman

Tripple sec is what is used in most Margaritas. I completely agree, Cointreau is lovely on its own and makes a fine margarita but tripple sec is better in a Margarita and cheaper. Its what the Mexicans and most Americans use

rubadub

Saruman wrote: »

I completely agree, Cointreau is lovely on its own and makes a fine margarita but tripple sec is better in a Margarita and cheaper.

But which triple sec? cointreau is just one brand of triple sec, so it is like saying "coca-cola is lovely on its own and makes a nice vodka & cola, but cola is better in a vodka & cola and cheaper."

Its what the Mexicans and most Americans use

Most will use inexpensive stuff where possible, and the yanks might not be big fans of french produce in general. Most will not use good quality vodkas in cocktails either, doesn't mean they wouldn't if it was free or the same price.

I think I like the oranges a bit more muted than you get with Cointreau.

Cointreau is my favourite liquer so I would not want it muted, I love the taste. Some cheaper liquers will use artifical flavourings rather than proper essences derived from the fruits.

BeerNut

rubadub wrote: »

Some cheaper liquers will use artifical flavourings rather than proper essences derived from the fruits.

But, to paraphrase your good self, if you're not interested in drinking fruit essences, why pay for them?

Saruman

Which Triple sec? Good question but any of the cheaper less flavoursome types are good. Using Cointreau in a margarita is like adding an 18 year old Jameson to coke.
It is a bit of an overkill, waste of money and waste of good Cointreau which is a fantastic drink on its own.

I make margaritas with Cointreau sometimes as sometimes I simply can not find a cheaper triple sec and they are perfectly fine but the orange is a little too strong so I would have to use more Tequila and less Cointreau.

AnthonyEagn

Cointreau is much more expensive that a triple sec, I tend to use cointreau for drinking and triple sec for cooking.

Dizzyblonde

AnthonyEagn please don't dig up old threads.