Brandy Cocktails

24 recipes

This Field Manual holds 24 recipes built on brandy: 12 cognac and 12 other brandy. Brandy is distilled from fruit, usually grapes, and aged in oak.

Cognac’s weight suits a sidecar or a sazerac where the spirit has to carry sugar and citrus without thinning. Other brandy covers everything from Spanish solera to apple brandy, and the range is wide enough that the bottle matters more than the category. Age is the reliable guide: the longer it sat in oak, the better it holds a stirred drink and the less it wants shaking.

Base Spirit

Difficulty Level

Brandy Alexander

A Brandy Alexander is 30ml of cognac, 30ml of dark crème de cacao and 30ml of cold single cream, shaken very hard for 10 to 12 seconds and double strained into a chilled Nick and

Brandy Crusta

A Brandy Crusta is 52.5ml of cognac, 7.5ml of maraschino, a bar spoon each of orange curaçao and sugar syrup, 15ml of fresh lemon juice and two dashes of Angostura, shaken hard

Brandy Milk Punch

A Brandy Milk Punch is 50ml brandy, 90ml cold whole milk, 15ml simple syrup and two drops of vanilla extract, shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and strained over fresh ice in a

Brandy Sling (Cold)

A cold Brandy Sling is 50ml of brandy, 25ml of fresh lemon juice and 15ml of sugar syrup, stirred over ice in a highball glass and topped with 75 to 100ml of cold soda water, with

Brandy Sling (Hot)

A hot Brandy Sling is 50ml of brandy, 20ml of fresh lemon juice and 15ml of sugar syrup in a warmed heatproof glass, topped with 90ml of water just off the boil, stirred, and

Champs-Élysées

A Champs-Élysées is 45ml of cognac, 15ml of green Chartreuse, 20ml of fresh lemon juice, 10ml of sugar syrup and a dash of Angostura, shaken hard with ice for 10 to 12 seconds and

Corpse Reviver No. 1

Our Corpse Reviver No. 1 is 30ml each of cognac, Calvados and sweet vermouth, stirred over ice for 20 to 30 seconds and strained into a chilled coupe, with no garnish. About 2.9

Eggnog

This Eggnog is made by the glass: 30ml of brandy, 15ml of dark rum, one egg separated, 60ml of whole milk, 30ml of cream and 20ml of sugar syrup. The yolk is whisked with the

French Connection

The spirit with amaretto in a French Connection is cognac. The drink is 35ml of each, poured over ice in a rocks glass and stirred, with no garnish. That is the International

Harvard

A Harvard is equal measures of cognac and sweet vermouth, 45ml each, with two dashes of Angostura and an optional 5ml of grenadine, stirred for 20 to 30 seconds, strained into a

Horse’s Neck

A Horse’s Neck is 40ml of cognac and 120ml of ginger ale over ice in a highball, with a dash of Angostura if you want it, stirred once and dressed with a whole lemon peel cut in

Jack Rose

A Jack Rose is 60ml applejack, 22.5ml fresh lemon juice and 22.5ml grenadine, shaken hard and double strained into a chilled coupe, with lemon peel expressed over the top. About

Japanese Cocktail

A Japanese Cocktail is 60ml of cognac, 15ml of orgeat and two dashes of Angostura bitters, stirred over ice for 20 to 30 seconds and strained into a chilled coupe, with lemon peel

Metropole

A Metropole is 45ml of cognac and 45ml of dry vermouth with two dashes of Peychaud’s bitters and one of orange bitters, stirred with ice for 20 to 30 seconds and strained into a

Mulled Wine

Mulled wine for six to eight is 750ml of red wine, 150ml of brandy, 100ml of fresh orange juice and 75ml of honey, warmed in a large pan with two cinnamon sticks, six cloves, two

Pisco Punch

A Pisco Punch is 60ml of pisco, 22.5ml of fresh pineapple juice, 15ml of fresh lemon juice and 15ml of simple syrup, shaken hard over three cloves mashed into the syrup, double

Pisco Sour

A Pisco Sour is 60ml of pisco, 30ml of fresh lemon juice, 20ml of sugar syrup and one egg white, dry shaken for 10 to 15 seconds, then shaken hard with ice for 10 to 12 seconds

Porto Flip

A Porto Flip is 45ml of tawny port, 15ml of brandy and 10ml of egg yolk, dry shaken for 10 to 15 seconds, shaken hard with ice for 10 to 12 and double strained into a chilled

Sangria

Sangria, by the glass, is 120ml of young red wine, 25ml of brandy, 30ml of fresh orange juice, 15ml of fresh lemon juice and 15ml of simple syrup, rested in the fridge with sliced

Sidecar

A Sidecar is a cognac sour: 50ml cognac, 20ml Cointreau or another triple sec and 20ml fresh lemon juice, shaken hard and double strained into a chilled coupe under an expressed

Stinger

A Stinger is 50ml of cognac and 20ml of white crème de menthe, stirred with ice for 20 to 30 seconds and strained over crushed ice in a rocks glass, with a sprig of mint if you

Ve.N.To

Ve.N.To is a grappa sour: 45ml of white grappa, 22.5ml of fresh lemon juice, 15ml of chamomile honey mix and 15ml of chamomile cordial, shaken hard and strained over fresh ice in

Wassail

Wassail is a hot bowl for eight to ten: a litre of cloudy apple juice and 500ml of dry cider, warmed with two cinnamon sticks, a teaspoon of ground ginger and an orange studded

Widow’s Kiss

A Widow’s Kiss is 45ml of calvados, 22.5ml of yellow Chartreuse, 22.5ml of Bénédictine and two dashes of Angostura, stirred over ice for 20 to 30 seconds and strained into a

All cocktails