Cointreau, the UK’s No 1 triple sec, has unveiled Cointreau Spicy, a new chili-infused expression of its iconic orange liqueur, developed to bring bold, balanced, natural heat to modern cocktail menus.
In the UK, the launch will be brought to life through a national roll-out from June across retail and on-trade, introducing Cointreau Spicy to local consumers and trade audiences.
Cointreau Spicy is crafted from a new Cointreau orange liqueur (at 30% ABV), fired up through Bird’s Eye chili maceration and natural chilli and jalapeño flavourings. A touch of natural cucumber flavour adds fresh, vegetal “green” notes, creating a profile that is bold yet clean, lifted and balanced. The drink delivers a warming spice that lifts without overpowering it – keeping spicy serves effortless and accessible.
Built to meet the growing demand for Spicy Margaritas, Cointreau Spicy offers bartenders a simple and consistent way to deliver of the categories fastest-growing serves. By combining Cointreau’s signature orange liqueur with a balance kick of heat, it removes the need to muddle chillis or adjust spice levels. All that’s needed is Cointreau Spicy, tequila and lime juice for a perfectly balanced Spicy Margarita, helping operators streamline preparation and drive revenue while maintaining consistency and quality in every cocktail.
As well as making life easier for bartenders, Cointreau Spicy helps consumers shake up their own Spicy Marg version at home. New research commissioned by Cointreau found that more than a third (38%) of consumers say easy-to-follow recipes make them more likely to shake up spicy cocktails at home, while one in three (33%) are tempted to try a new twist when it’s based on a cocktail they know and love.
Social occasions are also fuelling the category’s growth with nearly half of Brits (44%) saying they are influenced by friends when choosing a spicy drink on a night out, while nearly a quarter (22%) associate ordering a spicy drink with confidence – rising to a third among Gen Z (32%).
The Margarita continues to dominate cocktail culture, ranking as the top choice for Millennials and the second favourite cocktail among Gen Z. The serve also remains one of the world’s most popular cocktails and is the second most ordered on-trade globally. With Margarita consumption continuing to surge, Cointreau’s ‘MargaRight’ platform fronted by internationally acclaimed comedy actress Aubrey Plaza, continues to reinforce the brand at the centre of one of the UK’s biggest cocktail trend and champion the simple yet timeless combination of Cointreau, tequila and lime juice. As demand for spicy twists on classics grows, UK Google searches for “simple spicy margarita recipe” climbed 350%+ and the serve now ranking No.9 in Difford’s Top 100 Cocktails[4].
Nick Ganich, marketing director at Rémy Cointreau, says: “We’re introducing Cointreau Spicy in response to a clear shift in consumer demand for bold, flavour-led serves across both the on-trade and retail. Spice has moved firmly into the mainstream, and consumers are increasingly looking for drinks that deliver excitement while maintaining a well-balanced flavour profile. With Spicy Margarita’s emerging as one of the fastest-growing cocktail trends, Cointreau Spicy has been developed to make it easy to create consistent, great-tasting spicy cocktails at home or in bars, helping unlock one of the fastest-growing trends and bring incremental value to the category.”
Cointreau Spicy’s pack design is intentionally bold, with repeated “spicy” cues to clearly signal the flavour profile, while retaining the brand’s iconic square silhouette and amber bottle – a direct link to Cointreau L’Unique and its established savoir-faire.
Rooted in more than 175 years of craftsmanship, Cointreau Spicy stays true to the original recipe created by Édouard Cointreau in 1875, while introducing a confident new edge for today’s cocktail culture. As the sixth Master Distiller in Cointreau’s history, Carole Quinton continues to protect the delicate balance of sweet and bitter orange peels that defines Cointreau, while exploring new expressions shaped by contemporary tastes.
Carole Quinton, Master Distiller at Cointreau comments “For Cointreau Spicy, we wanted to capture a real sense of warmth and intensity through natural chilli, whilst preserving the bright orange signature that defines Cointreau. It’s vibrant, bold and made to elevate the Spicy Margarita – but it’s also incredibly versatile, from cocktails to simple shots. It’s all about bringing people together through flavour”.
Cointreau Spicy (RRP £27) will be available across retail and on-trade. The launch will be supported by a strong consumer and trade activation plan including a branded Cointreau Margarita Bar at Taste of London and BST Hyde Park serving Spicy Margaritas as we all Spiced versions of popular flavoured Margaritas, alongside increased retail and on-trade visibility.
