The basic recipe
where it all begins
Fill a longdrink glass to the rim with ice cubes - the more ice, the deeper the blue looks.
Pour the spirit over the ice and top up with chilled lemonade.
Slowly pour the blue curaçao over the rounded side of a bar spoon as the final ingredient.
Garnish with a slice of citrus and serve immediately, while the gradient is still visible.
Where does that blue come from?
Curaçao liqueur is made from the dried peel of the laraha, a bitter citrus fruit that grows on the island of Curaçao - a descendant of the Spanish orange that never became edible in the dry, salty soil, but developed an exceptionally aromatic peel. The liqueur itself is naturally clear. The blue color was added in the twentieth century to make the drink stand out behind the bar, and it worked: the bottle is now better known than the fruit. So it simply tastes of orange, and the color is entirely unrelated to that. The same liqueur is also available in orange, green, and red.
The right glass
With blue curaçao, the glass is not a detail but half the result. Always choose completely clear, colorless glass - any tint or heavy faceting clouds the blue and turns it gray-green. Tall and narrow works better than wide: the color looks deeper and the transition from light to dark stays sharp for longer. A longdrink glass from 33 to 47 cl is the standard; for creamy variations such as the Swimming Pool, use a hurricane glass.
Onis Icon Longdrink Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Long-Drink Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Together € 57,90 - clear glass, exactly what blue needs.
The right tools
For a Blue curaçao cocktail, in addition to the glass you need a shaker, a bar spoon for stirring, and a jigger for precise measuring. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools - together € 78,80.
The six best-known blue cocktails
Frequently asked questions
What does blue curaçao taste like?
Like bittersweet orange. It is the same type of liqueur as triple sec and Cointreau, made from laraha peel and colored blue.
Which glass do you use for blue cocktails?
A clear, colorless long-drink glass holding 33 to 47 cl. View our long-drink glasses or, for creamy variations, our hurricane glasses.
Why does my cocktail turn green?
Because the blue mixes with a yellow juice, usually pineapple or orange. Pour in the blue curaçao last, slowly and over a spoon, and don't stir afterward.
Can you replace blue curaçao?
For the taste, yes: triple sec does the same thing. Not for the color - then you need blue syrup, which is also the best option for alcohol-free versions.
Everything for your bar,
to one address
Professional-quality glasses, delivered as a set. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop the glasses →