Grand Marnier Tasting (May 2nd, 2019)
This was the 1st tasting I did with the group. It was done in person. I supplied all the liquor from my collection. I wanted to show everyone how diverse the Grand Marnier line is, even though they don’t promote it very well. We did food pairings with the Grand Marnier, the food supplied by those taking part in the tasting, it was a lot of fun, and was the start of this whole tasting endeavor.
Since this was the first one, we only rated the food and alcohol as a group, in the 2nd tasting we fixed that issue, since one ends up biasing the vote, by the food. The best food won, not necessarily the best alcohol.
| Key | Description | Avg Rating | Price (CAD$) * |
| A | Raspberry Peach Grand Marnier (Expresso Cheese) | 8.39 | $40.00 |
| B | Raspberry Peach Grand Marnier (Swiss, the fancy wheel) | 6.88 | $40.00 |
| C | Raspberry Peach Grand Marnier (Camembert & Apple Jelly) | 8.33 | $40.00 |
| D | Grand Marnier Titanium (Smoked Salmon & Fresh Bagels) | 6.67 | $40.00 (USD$) |
| E | Louis Alexandre Cuvee (Prosciutto with Melon) | 8.42 | $85.00 |
| F | Louis Alexandre Non-Cuvee (Perles de Maiko) | 9.28 | $75.00 |
| G | 25 yr old Grand Marnier (Mille Feuille) | 7.47 | $125.00 |
| H | 25 yr old Grand Marnier (Éclair, strawberries & whipped cream) | 8.31 | $125.00 |
| I | 25 yr old Grand Marnier (Éclair, Dulce de Leche) | 7.75 | $125.00 |
| J | 1880 Grand Marnier (Expresso Chocolate) | 8.44 | $400.00 |
| K | 1880 Grand Marnier (Dark Chocolate Wafers) | 8.81 | $400.00 |
* The Prices listed are just for the alcohol.
The Survey Results
We had 9 participants for this tasting, it was a lot of fun. Hence the reason we’ve kept doing it. Everyone brought something, whether food, utensils, plates, or $$. Louis Alexandre non-cuvee won, but that was because it was paired with the best sushi in Montreal, and one of their signature dishes. So I think it was a vote more for the food, than for the alcohol, or even for the pairing. It was still fun, in hindsight, I should probably redo this tasting, and do it blind. See how the $400 bottle ranks compared to the $85 bottle.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | |
| Jenn D | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 9.5 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Christine | 8 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Roxanne | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 9.5 | 10 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| Jean | 9 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | |
| Brad | 7.5 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 9.25 | 9.5 | 7.25 | 7 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 |
| Stacie | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 9.5 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| Murph | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 |
| Neil | 8 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8.5 |
| Ronnie | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Totals | 75.5 | 55 | 75 | 60 | 75.75 | 83.5 | 59.75 | 66.5 | 62 | 67.5 | 70.5 |
| Avg | 8.39 | 6.88 | 8.33 | 6.67 | 8.42 | 9.28 | 7.47 | 8.31 | 7.75 | 8.44 | 8.81 |
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