What is the origin of Blue Curaçao?

If you ask a random American if they know Curaçao, there is a good chance they have never heard of the island. But if you then ask them if they know Blue Curaçao, you will almost certainly get an enthusiastic 'yes' in response.

But does Blue Curaçao actually come from the island of Curaçao? Why is this liqueur blue? And who originally invented it?

These are some of the greatest mysteries surrounding one of the best-known liqueurs in the world.

Is Curaçao an island?

Let's start at the beginning: what is Curaçao actually?

Curaçao is a tropical island in the Caribbean Sea, about 100 kilometers off the coast of Venezuela, very close to Aruba. The island has a dry and sunny climate, allowing you to enjoy wonderful weather almost all year round.

Curaçao is surrounded by crystal-clear water in beautiful blue and turquoise shades. The island is also known for its colorful character. The houses are painted in all kinds of vibrant colors, making the capital Willemstad one of the most photographed historic city centers in the world.

How did Curaçao get its famous orange liqueur?

A few centuries ago, Curaçao was under Spanish rule. The Spanish tried to make money from agriculture and therefore decided to grow Valencia oranges on the island.

But this sweet orange proved unable to withstand the bright sun and dry climate. The fruit became bitter, inedible, and even turned green.

This special orange was given the name Citrus Aurantium Currassuviensis, which means 'Golden Orange of Curaçao'.

Why gold, you might wonder? Because when the orange is ripe for picking, it develops a golden-yellow color on top.

In the local language, this orange was given the name Laraha.

It was discovered that aromatic essential oils could be extracted from the peels of the Laraha orange. Eventually, these peels were also used to make liqueur.

And so the famous Curaçao liqueur was born!

To be considered an authentic Curaçao liqueur, the liqueur must, according to this tradition, be made with the peels of the Laraha orange.

Back to the colors

And this is where the mystery truly begins.

At some point, someone came up with the idea to produce Curaçao liqueur in different colors: white, orange, blue, red, and green.

Who exactly started this, we still do not know to this day.

The first references to Curaçao liqueur in different colors date back to the early 1920s.

Curaçao liqueur is often used in cocktails to add a sweet flavor. Presumably, the different colors were introduced to give cocktails a more striking and attractive appearance without altering the flavor too much.

Nowadays, you can also see that many colored Curaçao liqueurs have a lower alcohol content than traditional Curaçao liqueurs.

But why blue?

Of all the colors, blue has always been one of the most popular.

We think this is because the color blue immediately brings to mind a tropical vacation, with bright blue seas and an endless blue sky.

In the 1930s, there was even talk of a Dutch variant of Curaçao liqueur called Crème de Ciel, French for 'Cream of the Sky'.

Another reason, of course, is that a cocktail with a beautiful blue color simply looks spectacular.

The striking color makes a cocktail visually appealing and ensures that it immediately catches the eye.

In the 1960s, Blue Curaçao began to become hugely popular worldwide. The film Blue Hawaii by Elvis Presley may have played a role in this. Blue Hawaii is also the name of one of the best-known blue cocktails in the world.

Liqueur producer Bols has stated that they cannot prove that they invented the blue variant. However, it is certain that they started producing it somewhere between 1920 and 1933.

Senior Blue Curaçao

It was not until the 1960s that Senior & Co began producing their Curaçao liqueur in different colors as well.

As an authentic liqueur producer from the island of Curaçao, we are particularly proud of our strong connection with Blue Curaçao.

Not only because of the unique Laraha orange, which is at the heart of our liqueur, but also because of the beautiful nature of our island.

The deep blue Caribbean Sea, the crystal-clear turquoise water, and the endless blue sky together form a landscape with the most beautiful shades of blue you can imagine.

And those are exactly the colors we bring to life with our Senior Blue Curaçao.