Grand Marnier Louis Alexandre
Grand Marnier for those who want more cognac. With 82% VSOP cognac, it is drier and deeper than Cordon Rouge: bitter orange, vanilla and oak, and made to be enjoyed neat.
An extra splash of cognac, in the bottle
Louis Alexandre was introduced in 1977 as a tribute to Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, the creator of Grand Marnier. He had a habit of adding an extra splash of cognac to his Cordon Rouge, and that is exactly what this bottle does: it contains 82% VSOP cognac, compared with 51% cognac in Cordon Rouge.
The cognacs come from five crus in the Cognac region: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois and Bons Bois. After the bitter orange distillate is added, the blend matures for another six to eight months in large oak barrels. The result is drier and less sweet than classic Grand Marnier, with oak and vanilla alongside the orange. The alcohol content is the same: 40%.
In brief
More cognac than orange
Bitter orange & oak
Bitter orange peel with vanilla and a distinct note of oak. You immediately smell the cognac.
Dry and rounded
Bitter Caribbean orange, with vanilla and oak. Clearly less sweet than Cordon Rouge.
Long and balanced
A long finish in which fruit and oak are beautifully balanced.
Flavor profile of Grand Marnier Louis Alexandre neat, at room temperature. With ice, the orange becomes fresher and the oak softer.
How to drink Louis Alexandre
Louis Alexandre is a digestif. Drink it like a cognac, with or without ice.
Neat as a digestif
3 cl in a cognac glass at room temperature. Warm the glass briefly in your hand, smell it first and sip slowly. This is the best way to taste the cognac.
Glass: cognac glass →Over one large ice cube
4 cl over a large ice cube in a heavy tumbler, with a thin orange zest. The ice makes it fresher without diluting it too quickly.
Tumblers →In a Sidecar
40 ml cognac, 20 ml Louis Alexandre and 20 ml lemon juice, shaken and strained into a coupe with a sugared rim. The extra cognac in the liqueur makes it drier and fuller-bodied.
Go to the recipe →Cocktails for a cognac liqueur
Louis Alexandre is best enjoyed neat, but in cognac- or whisky-based cocktails, it is a luxurious substitute for orange liqueur.
Sidecar
Cognac, orange liqueur and lemon. With Louis Alexandre, almost entirely cognac.
Old Fashioned
Replace the sugar with a bar spoon of Louis Alexandre for an Old Fashioned with orange.
Champagne cocktail
A sugar cube, bitters and champagne, with a splash of cognac. Here, Louis Alexandre takes on that role.
Margarita
Tequila, lime and orange liqueur. With Louis Alexandre, drier and more complex.The right glass for Grand Marnier Louis Alexandre
A cognac glass for tasting neat, a heavy tumbler for ice and an Old Fashioned, and a coupe for the Sidecar.
More Grand Marnier varieties
Grand Marnier
Where it all began. On the brand page, you'll find everything about Grand Marnier: origins, varieties and classic cocktails.
Go to Grand Marnier →
Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire
Created in 1927 to mark one hundred years of Marnier Lapostolle, using cognacs up to 25 years old. Rich and smooth; for after dinner.
View Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire →Everything about cognac: the types, the best-known brands and the cocktails.
Questions about Grand Marnier Louis Alexandre
Can't find your question? Read more on the Grand Marnier page or browse our cocktail recipes.
Everything about Grand Marnier →