Cointreau caters to Spicy Marg trend
Orange liqueur brand Cointreau has ‘turned up the heat for summer’ with the launch of a chilli-infused expression, as it looks to capitalise on the growing demand for Spicy Margaritas.
Rolling out across the UK this month (June), Cointreau Spicy has been developed to bring a bold, balanced, natural heat to cocktail menus.
The expression is crafted from a new Cointreau orange liqueur that sits at 30% ABV (10% lower than Cointreau L’Unique), and has been ‘fired up’ through Bird’s Eye chilli maceration and natural chilli and jalapeño flavourings.
It is joined by ‘a touch’ of natural cucumber flavour for added freshness and vegetal green notes, creating a profile that is described as bold yet clean, lifted and balanced.
The drink delivers a warming spice that lifts without overpowering it, and seeks to keep spicy serves effortless and accessible.
Carole Quinton, master distiller at Cointreau, commented: “For Cointreau Spicy, we wanted to capture a real sense of warmth and intensity through natural chilli, while 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.”
The release has been designed to meet the growing demand for Spicy Margaritas, offering bartenders a simple, consistent way to streamline preparation and drive revenue while maintaining quality in every cocktail.
Nick Ganich, marketing director at Rémy Cointreau, said: “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 Margaritas 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.”
UK Google searches for ‘simple Spicy Margarita recipe’ climbed by 350% between May 2024 and May 2026, and the serve now ranks at number nine in Difford’s Top 100 Cocktails.
In addition to making life easier for bartenders, Cointreau Spicy also aims to help consumers shake up their own Spicy Margarita 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%).
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’.
Cointreau Spicy will be available in retail and on-trade at an RRP of £27 (US$36).
The launch will be supported by a consumer and trade activation plan, including a branded Cointreau Margarita Bar at Taste of London and BST Hyde Park, where the brand will serve Spicy Margaritas as well as spiced versions of popular flavoured Margaritas, alongside increased retail and on-trade visibility.
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