Margaritas: Triple-Sec Blind Taste-Off. Cointreau v. Grand Marnier v. DeKuyper

So school is starting in a couple weeks, and a long fun Summer is winding down :(

What better to do that search for the world's best margarita ingredients, at least per my palate.

So tonite I'm trying 3 popular triple-sec / orange liqueurs often used in various Margarita recipes.... Cointreau, Grand Marnier, and the new DeKuyper "O3". All of these are 40% alcohol.

Each was blended with one part triple sec to 3 parts tequila and 10 drops of fresh lime juice. Tequilla used was Sauza blue silver, a good quality middle-shelf 100% agave. Which I have favorably tasted against the entire Patron line-up (silver, reposado, and anejo)...

All were tasted blind to the extent I had no knowledge which concoction was in which glass. Tasting results were:

Drink One: Harsh, not interesting. Very modest "hint" of orange here, almost none.
Drink Two: Definitely better than One for purposes of this drink. Maybe the ratio isn't quite right but it can be flexed. Can work with this.
Drink Three: May be something here. better than one, not quite as sweet or pronounced flavor as Two..

Tasted around again:
One: I just don't get this. Don't see how I'm going to make an interesting margarita out of this. Might be interesting DESPITE this.
Two: Most interesting, something I can work with
Three: Okay.

Now to reveal the code:
One: Grand Marnier
Two: DeKuyper 03
Three: Cointreau
***************
After the fact I checked to see if more GM might change my mind, so I put in another part GM... still very faint and uninteresting.

Doing the same for Cointreau really brought out the orange, still even with another part not quite as pronounced as the DeKuyper, but something I can work with. It's a more delicate orange overall and in that sense may "blend" better with a complete Margarita recipe...

Until next time folks....