Hearing the phrase “blue curaçao” elicits memories of a certain time or maybe even a specific drink. You’re probably thinking of the Blue Hawaii, created by bartender Harry Yee in 1957 at the (now Hilton) Hawaiian Village. It was a recipe created for a bartending competition sponsored by the Dutch company Lucas Bols. The ingredient also appeared heavily in the colorful drinks of the 1980s (we see you, Chili’s Radical Rita) and layered shooters of the ’90s.
The liqueur dates back to the 1920s and was originally called “Crème de Ciel.” The term curaçao was already applied to laraha orange liqueurs made in the namesake Dutch colony, but it wasn’t until much later that the blue coloring was added. And it wasn’t even the only color offered.
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Even the island’s Sandals resort is a standout“We found that there was also a yellow curaçao, orange curaçao, green curaçao and red curaçao, all with naturally-occurring colors,” says Ivar de Langue, global education manager and master bartender at Bols, which has been selling its version since 1933, long before the tropical drink craze took off. “As far as the late 19th century at the company, there were experiments to create a blue color from [things like] indigo to butterfly pea.”
Although a naturally-derived hue was never perfected and the company settled on modern food coloring, its blue shade is an important part of what attracts us to a cocktail. “Color is very appealing to people,” de Langue says. “It does have that emotional reference to holiday, to the sky, to freedom, to just this small little moment where you don’t have to think about day-to-day hustles.”
The flavor of blue curaçao is also unique. Despite being orange-based, it’s not necessarily interchangeable with triple sec or an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier. Rather, it uses a variety of oranges only found on the island of Curaçao.
And Bols is no longer the only name in the game. Blue curaçao is made by half a dozen companies, including DeKuyper, Drillaud and Leroux. But Bols remains the top-rated brand, especially since the release of Bols Blue 1575, which honors the company’s founding 450 years ago by blending the blue liqueur with a botanical spiced rum.
The Blue Hawaii is not the only drink to use blue curaçao. The liqueur is extensively featured in Cafe Royal Cocktail Book, published by the United Kingdom Bartenders’ Guild in 1937. It includes the Green Howard, made with blue curaçao, gin, Lillet and lemon juice. These days, you’ll see it in various forms on cocktail menus around the country, including as a quintessential ingredient in the aforementioned tropical settings. It’s part of the Coral Delight, the signature cocktail of Sandals Dunn’s River, made of blue curaçao, white rum, coconut rum, peach schnapps and pineapple juice.
At the Atlanta speakeasy Jojo’s Beloved, the menu includes “oft-maligned favorites from the era of disco,” like the Purple Rain, a “party starter” made with vodka, Campari, grenadine, cranberry, blue curaçao and edible glitter. Over in New Orleans, the Peacock Room’s Point Break is served alongside local classics like the Hurricane and Sazerac. The Blue Hawaiian-style cocktail is made with aged rum, tepache (a fermented pineapple drink from Mexico), pineapple, coconut and blue curaçao.
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“We clarify the mixture for a smooth, clean finish,” says Jessica Retif, director of food and beverage at Hotel Fontenot, where the Peacock Room is located. “After clarification, blue curaçao is added to achieve its signature crisp blue hue. The drink is topped with a rich foam made from heavy cream and egg white, finished with a touch of lime zest. The foam mimics the look of breaking waves.”
As bars continue to lean into the trends of decades past, blue curaçao seems to be finally getting its due — while keeping its colorful vibe intact.
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