Cognac in Cocktails: It’s Time for a Renaissance
If you’re a fan of pre-Prohibition cocktails, you’ll see a vast number of recipes that contain either brandy or Cognac. Before whiskey became the common base spirit, people often made their Old Fashioneds with brandy. This drink included a spirit of any kind, a sweetener, and bitters. And with the famous French 75, there is a debate that Cognac was the original base ingredient as opposed to gin. Even some recipes for the original Champagne Cocktail contain Cognac.
There were many factors that kicked Cognac and brandy cocktails to the curb and placed American distilled spirits as the centerpiece of our cocktails. I think we are missing out, though. Cognac cocktails are a refreshing change and these classic flavors bring with them comforting flavors.
What’s the difference between the two spirits? Cognac is a type of brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. Brandy is a distilled spirit made from fermented fruit or wine. Cognac is a type of brandy that is produced only in the Cognac region of France.
If you’re not familiar with Cognac, much like with wine, price is not always a sign of quality in every instance. I often choose younger Cognac for cocktails. There is something about the bright and punchy flavors that seem to do very well within a mix of flavors.
I chose Martingale Cognac for the cocktails below as it’s an excellent choice for its versatility — youthful and bright with enough punch to act as a great base. Martingale’s youthful flavors shouldn’t deceive you; this blend is clearly high-quality Cognac, delivering everything I expect from a mixing Cognac. And with low-ingredient cocktails, there’s not a lot of room to hide if the base spirit is of inferior quality.
Classic Cognac Cocktails
During the Jazz Age and Prohibition, the Sidecar cocktail enjoyed wild popularity and was a favorite of famous young writers. Scott Fitzgerald and Henry Miller.
The Sidecar
1.5 oz Martingale Cognac
1 oz Cointreau triple sec liqueur
.5 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
Coat the rim of a pre-chilled coupe glass with lemon juice and then coat with sugar. Then shake all cocktail ingredients with cubed ice and strain into the coupe glass. Twist a lemon peel over the glass.
People debate the Sidecar cocktail’s origins, but its creation likely happened in the early 1920s. The drink’s name comes from the motorcycle sidecars that were popular during World War I. Some say a bartender created the Sidecar at Harry’s Bar for an American army captain who rode a motorcycle sidecar to the bar. Others say Pat MacGarry, a bartender at Buck’s Club, created the Sidecar. Another famous story is that of a bartender at the Ritz Hotel served one to an American army captain who rode a motorcycle sidecar to the bar. Most cocktail historians side with MacGarry being the originator.
The Sidecar is on my list of “perfect cocktails.” The proportions are just right to celebrate all the flavors from each component in perfect harmony. Here Martingale offers a bounty of fruit flavors to complement the tart and sweet citrus.
French 75
1.5 oz Martingale Cognac
.5 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup
2.5 oz dry sparkling wine
Add Cognac, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled champagne flute and top with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon peel.
The French 75-millimeter field gun used in World War I supposedly inspired this cocktail’s name. People debate whether the original French 75 used Cognac or gin, but the cocktail’s French origins point to Cognac. A 1915 reference in the Washington Herald refers to the (Soixante-Quinze) 75 Cocktail using gin, grenadine, applejack, and lemon juice. Then, in 1922, there is a reference to this cocktail calling for grenadine, lemon juice, Calvados (a type of apple brandy), and gin.
Today, the most common base for the French 75 is gin, however Cognac is a fun way to add a variation to this beloved cocktail staple. If you find this cocktail too sweet in either version, skipping the simple syrup is an easy fix. I reach for the driest sparkling wine I can find, which does the trick for me. The build of this cocktail is genius and why I believe it stands the test of time. Whether you choose the gin or Cognac variation, the simplicity and crispness of the flavors offers a winning combination. Using Martingale in this cocktail offers more of a spirit forward flavor with the sparkling wine and citrus.
Brandy Crusta
1 2/3 oz Martingale Cognac
¼ oz Cointreau triple sec liqueur
¼ oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
½ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 oz simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Coat the rim of a flute shaped glass with sugar. Caster sugar is called for in the traditional recipe and creates a better crust on the rim of the glass. Lemon juice will work well here to apply to the rim first before the sugar. Place the glass in the freezer for an hour or two. Add all cocktail ingredients to a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and shake well. Strain into the prepared glass.
The Brandy Crusta is a member of cocktail royalty, the fourth drink to be illustrated in the world’s first cocktail book, Jerry Thomas’ 1862 Bartender’s Guide.
The history of this cocktail has its roots in New Orleans in the 1850s. Created by Joseph Santini, an Italian from Trieste, who operated a saloon in the French Quarter which he opened in 1855. The name refers to the crust that the caster sugar makes on the rim of the glass. Many cocktail historians see the Crusta as a precursor to the Sidecar and later the Margarita. The original recipe was much more tart than the classic recipe we know today.
In modern cocktail establishments, you might find a Brandy Crusta served in glasses only half or partially crusted with sugar. The modern crusting is my preferred mode of serving and imbibing as I am not big on overly sweet flavors. It’s a simple change to make to satisfy the masses.
The magic of the Brandy Crusta is the punch of fruit flavors that are enhanced by the triple sec and Maraschino. The added lemon juice offers a balance with bright tartness adding to the rich fruit flavors. Using Cognac instead of an apple or fruit brandy offers a more bright and refreshing flavor profile in this cocktail with its grape base. Martingale offers that grape base without overtaking the other flavors, and the addition of aromatic bitters adds just enough spice to sit in harmony with the fruit flavors. A knockout bouquet of flavors.
A Modern Variation
As a whiskey lover, I am often surprised when my fellow whiskey imbibers aren’t as familiar with Cognac. These two spirits make excellent cocktail companions and modern mixologists are showcasing this in wonderful ways.
Many years ago, I worked with a veteran European bartender who wanted to craft a cocktail with Cognac and whiskey. We discussed building French Manhattan with the flair of a Vieux Carré cocktail, which is made with rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, and Peychaud’s bitters. He claimed he had the perfect recipe, and this variation was born.
Who truly created this cocktail? I don’t know, but it’s delicious and a crowd pleaser. And since the French are the largest consumers of whiskey per capita in the world, it seems fitting that a perfect Manhattan variation would be a French Manhattan spin.
French Manhattan Variation
1 oz Martingale Cognac
1 oz Rye whiskey
1 oz Dubonnet Rouge
¼ oz Cointreau triple sec liqueur
1 dash Regan’s orange bitters
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with cubed ice until chilled, strain into a stemmed cocktail glass and garnish with a brandied cherry.
The flavors of the Cognac, rye whiskey and Dubonnet Rouge with a hint of orange create a killer combination of flavors. This one will knock you out so sip slowly.
Cognac is the often-overlooked gem in the cocktail world. Bringing Cognac to the party adds a touch of a luxurious vibe and incredible flavor that can elevate many drinks. It pairs well with a wide variety of ingredients, making it an excellent option for both classic and innovative cocktail creations. So, the next time you’re mixing up a cocktail, don’t overlook Cognac—it might just become your go-to secret ingredient that adds a new wow factor to your drinks.
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