Triple sec brand Cointreau has unveiled Cointreau Spicy, a new chilli-infused expression of its classic orange liqueur, in the UK.

The innovation aims to bring ‘bold, balanced and natural’ heat to modern cocktail menus, rolling out from this month across retail and on-trade.

Cointreau Spicy features a new Cointreau orange liqueur at 30% ABV, with Bird’s Eye chilli maceration and natural chilli and jalapeño flavourings adding heat. A hint of natural cucumber flavour adds ‘fresh, vegetal green notes’ to create a ‘clean, lifted and balanced’ profile.

According to the brand, the drink delivers a ‘warming spice that lifts without overpowering.’ It aims to meet growing demand for spicy margaritas in the UK, offering bartenders a simple and consistent way to deliver one of the category’s fastest-growing cocktails.

Adding a kick of heat removes the need to muddle chillis or adjust spice levels – operators can simply combine Cointreau Spicy, tequila and lime juice for a ‘perfectly balanced’ spicy margarita, helping streamline preparation and drive revenue while maintaining consistency across cocktails.

New research commissioned by Cointreau found that more than a third of consumers say easy-to-follow recipes make them more likely to shake up spicy cocktails at home, while one in three are tempted to try a new twist on a cocktail they know and love.

Social occasions are also fuelling growth, with 44% of Brits saying they are influenced b friends when choosing a spicy drink on a night out. Nearly a quarter (22%) associate ordering a spicy drink with confidence, rising to a third among Gen Z (32%).

Nick Ganich, marketing director at Rémy Cointreau, said: “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.”

The pack design is intentionally bold, with repeated ‘spicy’ cues to signal the flavour profile clearly. It retains the brand’s classic square silhouette and amber bottle, and stays true to the original recipe created by Édouard Cointreau in 1875 while introducing what it calls a ‘confident new edge for today’s cocktail culture’.

Carole Quinton, master distiller at Cointreau, said: “For Cointreau Spicy, we wanted to capture a real sense of warmth and intensity through natural chilli, whilst preserving the bright orange signature that defines Cointreau”.

Cointreau Spicy is now rolling out across the retail and on-trade channels at an RRP of £27 per bottle.