Category: Cognac / Brandy

Thanksgiving Cocktails

Ten cocktails are recommended as excellent choices during Thanksgiving. The most common themes include flavors of maple, apple, or cranberry. Unlike many other cocktail sites, none of the cocktails listed below are overly infused with fruit purees, berries, or excessive...

Applejack Rabbit

A great cocktail for fall is the applejack-based APPLEJACK RABBIT. This full-flavored, multi-layered recipe immerses you in an orchard of fruits, enhanced by a hint of maple syrup. It combines two common citrus ingredients—orange and lemon juice—making it easy to...

Mikado

A brandy and orange liqueur cocktail mix offering rich flavor and depth is the MIKADO. It incorporates a dash of almond liqueur—either Amaretto or Crème de noyaux—along with grenadine, resulting in an overall flavor profile of almond and cherry. The...

Applejack No. 1 & 2

Applejack evolved from American apple brandy in the 1600s [See History]. It’s as American as apple pie and is often underrated as a cocktail mixer. Many mixologists and bartenders agree that Applejack is a superior mixer compared to so-called prestigious...

Brandy Sour

A BRANDY SOUR is a an ages-old alternative to the standard Whiskey Sour for those not fond of whiskey, or for those who seek the fruitier zest of brandy. Since brandy is produced by distilling wine or fermenting fruit juices...

Loud Speaker

The LOUD SPEAKER is another of the Harry Craddock cocktails published in his 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book. The original version makes for an easier serve by the bartender, with equal parts gin & brandy, and equal but lesser parts...

International

The INTERNATIONAL successfully combines a mesh of flavors that make this cognac cocktail smooth and special. Anisette is a key agent in the mix, which when downplayed (as in the recipe below) can elevate the others without dominating. The cognac...

Harvard

You may not get smarter drinking a HARVARD, but you might definitely think you’re smarter after one or two. The Harvard is a Manhattan-style brandy-based cocktail that originated about 1895. The two wine-based ingredients of brandy and sweet vermouth give...