Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur with Brandy

I recently discovered a hidden talent: I know how to make layered shots without using any goofy gadgets. I'm not sure how I acquired this particular talent, as I was able to do it the first time I attempted it (after having a nicely crafted B52 at the Hard Rock Cafe I knew I needed to try to duplicate it). If you are not familiar with this drink, it is made as follows:

1/3 Coffee Liqueur
1/3 Irish Cream Liqueur
1/3 Grand Mariner
(and a teensy top layer of Bacardi 151 if you are 'on a mission')
In that order

The key component to this particular concoction is the Grand Mariner. However, as you may know, Grand Mariner is not exactly the cheapest liqueur around. So the last time I was at my local Large Beverage Outlet and I spotted GranGala sitting on shelf next to the Grand Mariner in a very similar looking bottle at a price tag of $10 less I figured I'd try it. After all, I was just using it for shots right?

I was wrong. So very very wrong. You can tell before you even take a sip that GranGala is subpar. One of the wonderful things about Grand Mariner is the sound of the cork coming out of the bottle, followed the amazing, complex aroma that wafts from the bottle. You can't pour Grand Mariner without smelling the bottle first. It's just not possible. When I opened the GranGala and smelled, I smelled... cough syrup. It has a very flat, weak orange smell. Not a bad smell, but definately not something that encourages me to dive into the contents of the bottle with gusto.

The taste of GranGala is very much the same as the smell. It has an extremely syrupy, sweet orange taste, almost like that orange cough syrup my mom used to give me when I was a kid. As it lingers in your mouth a bit, the brandy starts to heat up, but there is none of the complexity good brandy possesses. There is also a complete lack of the subtle spiciness I come to expect with this type of liqueur. Without some sort of flavor that is not oranges, it tastes essentially like high alcohol TripleSec.

Conclusion: I learned a lesson today (that I have since re-learned in other applications, but I digress). Generics are great in some applications, but sometimes only the real thing will do. Don't waste your money with GranGala, it gets a 4 out of 10.