French liqueur model Cointreau has unveiled a redesign of its bottle that’s the most momentous change to the model for 140 years. The lovingly reimagined vessel is an ode to Cointreau’s wealthy heritage and a celebration of the liqueur’s most vital ingredient – the orange.
A brand new period for Cointreau
Just like the scrumptious liqueur it accommodates, the Cointreau bottle has stood in a class of its personal since its conception in 1849. As a substitute of following bottle design conventions, founder Édouard Cointreau took an sudden route, impressed by the shapely fragrance bottles of the period.
He selected an uncompromising design that might command consideration and do justice to the liquid inside; the bottle was putting and pleasingly stable, with daring sq. edges and amber glass, options that stay the hallmarks of its presentation as we speak.
(Picture credit score: Cointreau)
The elegant new bottle remains to be immediately recognisable but considerably completely different, and each element of the glass and label inform a part of the Cointreau story; the 4 sides characterize the 4 substances at its coronary heart: (orange peel distillate, alcohol, water, and sugar) Its 4 corners mirror Édouard Cointreau’s unique (and properly achieved) ambition to take his liqueur à l’orange to ‘all 4 corners of the world’ and its symmetry mirrors the liqueur’s extraordinary steadiness of aromas.
Oranges are actually illustrated on the bottle for the primary time, and in tribute to Cointreau’s historic roots, the unique distillery (based mostly in Angers on the sting of the Loire Valley) is depicted each on the label and within the glass engraving. The label additionally now contains a QR code that grants instantaneous entry to a devoted on-line expertise – a supply of cocktail recipes and professional suggestions for greatest having fun with Cointreau.
(Picture credit score: Cointreau)
Fanny Chtromberg, worldwide director at Cointreau, says: ‘The Cointreau L’Distinctive bottle is iconic. We actually wished to modernise it, however above all, we wished to protect its classic codes and respect the attract imagined by Édouard Cointreau. We subsequently drew on Cointreau’s genesis. Its origins in Angers; its know-how as liquorist-distiller; and its valuable fruit, the orange. We’re notably happy with the work achieved, a feat of creativity but in addition of design.’
The modifications are sensible in addition to aesthetic: the bottle has been lengthened by 4mm (with out rising its weight – a technical problem) in order that the bartender might extra simply match their hand round it for ease of use, and the brand new raised lettering on the bottle sides additionally facilitates grip. These particulars could appear minor, however they’re vastly vital elements for a bottle that’s dealt with so usually in cocktail bars all around the world.
(Picture credit score: Cointreau)
All the things concerning the Cointreau bottle has been subtly altered other than its contents. The recipe for the liqueur itself has by no means modified – a transparent, aromatic, and surprisingly contemporary liquid made by these with an intimate understanding of the cultivation of oranges and their distinctive and beautiful flavour permutations. Nice ability and information are required to realize the right steadiness of candy and bitter orange peels which might be used to make this triple-distilled liqueur, whose manufacturing is fastidiously thought of all the best way from the orange groves to the cocktail glass.
Cointreau made its first formal written look in Carl Setter’s 1913 drinks bible Der Mixologist, and has ever since been firmly established as a bar cupboard fixture, and a key ingredient in over 500 traditional cocktails, together with the Cosmopolitan, Sidecar, White Girl and, after all, the unique Margarita (see our 60-Second Cocktails book assessment for extra cocktails inspiration).
(Picture credit score: Cointreau)
The distinctive fragrant depth of Cointreau makes it an thrilling and versatile cocktail element, elevating and remodeling different substances with simply the merest splash; it is a liqueur with multi-dimensional sensory qualities that gives an astounding 40 fragrant notes – amongst them citrus, mint, pepper, lavender, and rose.
While celebrating its heritage, the Home of Cointreau is conscious of its social and company tasks and has a technique in place with environmental challenges at its coronary heart: The ‘2025 Sustainable Exception Plan’ has three cornerstones: preservation of terroirs and biodiversity for future generations; combating local weather change; and inspiring folks to eat merchandise responsibly. The brand new bottle (which is created from two-thirds recycled glass) tells a narrative of Cointreau’s previous, current and future – all issues to be thought of as you sip an ice chilly Margarita.
