Curaçao is a liqueur made from the peels of laraha, a type of orange with a characteristic bitter taste that grows on Curaçao, a Caribbean island in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This plant is a variety of bitter orange not native to the island, but imported by the Spanish. The nutrient-poor soil and arid climate of Curaçao changed the initial taste of the fruit, creating this variety (laraha). Discovered by chance, the liqueur was refined and marketed by a Spanish family on the island of Curaçao, the Senior family, during the 19th century.
To make the liqueur, orange peels are dried to release their sweet essential oils. They are then left to macerate in alcohol, sugar and water for several days and then filtered and some spices are added.
The liqueur has a strong orange taste with an alcoholic strength and bitterness of taste that varies according to the producer. The color is generally transparent, but are often marketed versions colored green, red, orange and, very often, blue.
Blue Curaçao is mainly used for exotic cocktails such as Swimming Pool.
