Our Cinco De Mayo Triple Sec Challange!

Today is Cinco de Mayo and for me this holiday kicks off Margarita Season!  If you are like me and will be mixing up your fair share this spring and summer you may want to keep reading…

Hiram Walker has decided to perform an experiment, to test whether perception equals reality. They sent a number of well-respected cocktail bloggers samples of Hiram Walker Triple Sec along with a bottle of the competition and invited them to perform a side-by-side tasting in classic triple sec cocktails (see their results here>).  We were also asked to take the challenge and received a bottle of Hiram Walker Triple Sec and a bottle of Cointreau to perform our own experiment, see our results below.

OUR CHALLENGE: Taste-test Margaritas mixed with Hiram Walker Triple Sec and Cointreau, side by side, to determine if the budget friendly version could stand up to a premium brand with guests at a party.

THE FACTS:

• Hiram Walker Triple Sec costs about about $10 for a 750ml bottle and is 60 proof.
• Cointreau costs about $30 for a 750ml bottle and comes in at 80 proof.
• We mixed up 2 batches of Margaritas on the rocks using Tequila Reserva 1800 Silver and RIPE Margarita mix.
• We had 4 taste testers ( 2 male and 2 female), Elizabeth and I and our husbands.

OUR RESULTS: It was unanimous that for entertaining, Hiram Walker Triple Sec sacked the competition. When pouring Margaritas for your party, there’s no question that at 1/3 the price, Hiram Walker Triple Sec is our pick.

Why?  The taste of the two versions of Margaritas were nearly indistinguishable – especially if you have more then one . On a serious note, when mixed in a Margarita very few guests, if any, could taste the difference between Cointreau and the Hiram Walker Triple Sec Margaritas ( the “premium-ness” of the Cointreau is lost in the Margarita). In addition, the Hiram Walker actually came in a bit sweeter than the Cointreau, although the Cointreau orange had more staying power and kick.  I also appreciate the lower alcohol content of the Hiram Walker Triple Sec (60 verses 80 proof), as less alcohol is a plus to me.

Here are two recipes from Hiram Walker so you can take the challenge for yourself.  We always love to know what you think?