In 1857, a pair of brothers named Adolphe and Édouard-Jean Cointreau were wondering what to do with their growing business. It had been running nicely since 1849, and profits were up when they diversified out of confectionery and started making traditional Guignolet — a type of cherry brandy — but they felt they needed something new, and began tinkering with recipes. Strawberry, plum and orange were all tried, and they began to enjoy success, even winning an award, but things were relatively modest.

18 years later in 1875, Édouard-Jean's son, Édouard, took on the family business, and he and his wife Louisa believed they were sitting on a goldmine with the orange liqueur in particular. They spent years refining and perfecting the recipe — full of flavour, yet not cloyingly sweet — and expa

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