Hiram Walker Blue Curacao

Hiram Walker Blue Curaçao is an orange-flavored liqueur colored a vivid, saturated blue. The color is the main thing to know before you buy it: it comes from dye, not from the fruit, and the flavor underneath is the same bittersweet-orange profile you would expect from any curaçao. Expect a sweet, citrus-forward liqueur with a pronounced orange-peel aroma and a slightly bitter edge that keeps it from tasting like plain orange candy. The brief gives no ABV, age, or production details, so treat the following as typical of the style and not as measured figures. Blue curaçaos generally sit well below spirit strength, and they taste noticeably sweeter than a triple sec. Because of that sweetness, this bottle works best as a mixing ingredient. It is not a sipping liqueur. The classic use is the Blue Lagoon, which combines vodka, blue curaçao, and lemonade or lemon-lime soda over ice. It also makes a blue Margarita: swap it for the orange liqueur in the standard tequila and lime juice template, and cut back on any added sugar syrup to compensate. The same swap works in a Sidecar, a Cosmopolitan, or a White Lady if you want a turquoise drink instead of a pale gold or pink one. Tropical drinks suit it too. It is the standard ingredient in the Blue Hawaiian, with rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut, and in frozen blended drinks where the color shows up well. For measuring, start with about half an ounce to three-quarters of an ounce per drink and adjust. Its sweetness and color are strong enough that a heavy pour can overwhelm both the balance and the hue. Fresh lemon or lime juice is the usual counterweight, and a pinch of acidity brings the orange character forward. Shake with ice and strain for the sour-style drinks. Build over ice for highballs and long drinks. A simple serve needs no cocktail shaker: pour about an ounce over ice and top with soda water or lemon-lime soda for a light, bright long drink. Chill the bottle ahead if you plan to use it neat or in a shot, since cold dulls the sweetness. Highball and hurricane glasses show off the color best, and a lemon or orange wheel makes the garnish that matches the flavor. Note that a blue drink will turn green if you combine it with yellow mixers like pineapple or lemonade, which is part of the appeal for themed drinks.