Curacao is made from what dried peel?

Curaçao is made from dried orange peel, traditionally the peel of the bitter laraha orange. The laraha is a citrus variety associated with the Caribbean island of Curaçao and is related to the bitter Seville orange.

Spanish settlers introduced bitter oranges to Curaçao in the 16th century. The island’s hot, dry conditions made the fruit’s flesh unpleasant to eat, but the peel developed an aromatic oil that worked well in liqueur. Distillers dry the peel before soaking or distilling it with alcohol, water, sugar, and sometimes additional spices.

A common mix-up is thinking that blue curaçao comes from a different fruit. Blue, orange, and clear versions are generally colored variations of orange-flavored curaçao. Curaçao is also sometimes confused with triple sec; both are orange liqueurs, but they are distinct styles with different histories and recipes.