cointreau.com

Introduction

Cointreau

Maison Cointreau, the iconic creator of orange liqueur and a pioneer in cocktail culture was founded in 1849 in Angers, France. With a legacy rooted in liquorist-distiller expertise, Cointreau remains at the heart of over 500 cocktails, including timeless classics like the Margarita and Cosmopolitan. Its signature liqueur – Cointreau L’Unique – is crafted through the precise selection and distillation of sweet and bitter orange peels, a process overseen by the Maison’s Master Distiller, Carole Quinton.

“I have passionately thrown myself into researching this liqueur. I wanted it to have the purity of crystal and a delicately subtle flavor thanks to the perfect harmony of sweet and bitter orange peels.”

Edouard Cointreau

terroirs

people

Carole Quinton / Master Distiller

Carole Quinton

Master Distiller2016 — today

She is known as “The Nose” of Cointreau, thanks to her unique ability to balance sweet and bitter orange peels to achieve the liqueur’s signature taste.
Her refined sense of taste and relentless pursuit of perfection ensure that Cointreau’s authenticity is preserved, while she also explores new avenues to evolve the brand’s identity.
Under Carole Quinton’s leadership, Cointreau continues to reinvent itself while remaining a cornerstone of modern cocktail cult

time

  • 1849

    Adolphe Cointreau, a confectionner and liqueur maker, founds the House of Cointreau. He is joined by his brother, Edouard-Jean, in 1856.

  • 1875

    Edouard Cointreau joins the family firm where he will create Cointreau l’Unique recipe.

  • 1885

    The House of Cointreau registers the patent for its distinctive bottle before the commercial court of Angers.

  • 1889

    Edouard Cointreau sets up a still at the World’s Fair in Paris. The House is awarded a bronze medal for the quality of its liqueur.

  • 1898

    An operator for the Lumière brothers makes the House of Cointreau’s first-ever advertising film.

  • 1913

    Cointreau liqueur is featured for the first time in two important books on cocktails : "Der Mixologist", by Carl A. Seutter, and "Lexikon des Getränke".

  • 1929

    Louisa Motais (Edouard’s spouse) is awarded the French Legion of Honour in the rank of Chevalier for her role as president of the Anjou Committee of the Union des femmes de France.

  • 1948

    After the White Lady in 1919 and the Sidecar in 1922, the Original Margarita was created by the American Margaret Sames in Acapulco.

  • 1988

    The New Yorker Toby Cecchini creates the instantly famous Cosmopolitan, in Manhattan.

  • 1989

    Cointreau and Rémy Martin merge to form the Rémy Cointreau Group, whose corporate name was coined in 1991.

  • 2016

    Carole Quinton takes over from Bernadette Langlais as Master Distiller for the House of Cointreau. Two women have succeeded four generations of men in the role.

  • 2018

    Cointreau launches abroad its new communication platform entitled "The Art of the Mix" and in France its "Cointreau, L'art du Cocktail" campaign.

  • 2019

    Still driven by the innovative and creative spirit that built its reputation, the House of Cointreau celebrates its 170th anniversary.

  • 2020

    After 2 years of reflection and production, the completely renovated tour of the Cointreau Distillery reopens its doors in St-Barthélémy d'Anjou. Three tour options are available, as well as dedicated services for companies (afterwork, special tours, seminars...).

  • 2022

    Cointreau unveils new bottle, made of two-thirds recycled glass. On the aesthetic side, the new Cointreau L’Unique bottle underlines the product at the heart of the liqueur, the orange, illustrated on the bottle for the first time. Also, Cointreau’s original distillery, depicted both on the label and in the engraving, a tribute to Cointreau’s roots. But the bottle sees ergonomic enhancements too: the shape has been lengthened for ease of pouring without increasing its weight, a major technical challenge. The new bottle also features a QR code for the first time, which grants instant access to a dedicated online experience, the go-to source nearly 400 drink recipes and cocktail tips.

  • 2025

    The year 2025 is a period of significant transformation and innovation for Maison Cointreau, embracing a bolder visual identity but also extending its footprint to respond to more occasions matching new consumer’s expectations .
    Cointreau continues its collaboration with Aubrey Plaza for the "Any Tequila" campaign and is thrilled to introduce a major strategic shift with its new brand campaign: "Shake it Up." Through this bold initiative, Cointreau celebrates creative expression, connection and the next generation of cocktail enthusiasts.
    The brand is also proud to unveil a series of new product developments, beginning with “Citrus Spritz” its very first ready-to-serve sparkling cocktail range, available in refreshing Orange & Blood Orange and Lemon & Lime flavors in the USA. The brand also introduces new “Cocktail Twists”, ready-to-drink cocktails in a can for a convenient, on-the-go sippping experience.
    Finally, the brand has released its first Opus of “Citrus Series”, a unique single estate pomelo distillate developped only for bartenders in a very limited edition format, showcasing tribute to Corsican terroir and centenary distillation savoir-faire.
    Furthermore, Cointreau is becoming this year the Official Orange Liqueur Partner of The World's 50 Best Bars awards, reinforcing its strong links and legitimacy within the on-trade an bar community.