A bit on how Grand Marnier became so dang popular in Charleston

Image by Flickr user scott.paterson

Grand Marnier, it's French, orange flavored, brandy, and it's popular in Charleston, real popular.

See exhibit A: The Grand Ma Christmas "tree" at Big John's.

Local legend has said that once distributors noticed such a high consumption of the spirit in Charleston they investigated and were horrified to find out it was being drunk in shots. 

Writing for Charleston Magazine, Brys Stephens did a little digging and tried to track down the legend, writing in part:

So how’d this trend begin? Seanachai Social Club bartender and recent Paint the Town Rouge Grand Marnier Cocktail Competition winner Brent Sweatman traces it back to chefs shooting mini-bottles of the stuff mid-’90s in the downtown Vickery’s kitchen.

Read the short feature over here

Stephens also notes that the Holy City is in fact in the top 10 and the smallest city on the list.

I'll chock it up at least in part thanks to South Carolina's old mini-bottle requirements — Grand Marnier had one sweet looking mini bottle (pictured).

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