Brandy is used in more classic cocktails than you might think. Unfortunately, many have been lost over time and are limited to the pages of old and worn out bartending guides. A small selection of the very best drinks, however, have survived the passing years and remain favourites of many a cocktail lover. These drinks serve well as an introduction to serving brandy. They’re also some of the easiest recipes around, so you could easily make them in just a few short minutes. By using commonplace bar ingredients as accent and by keeping the recipe nice and simple, a decent brandy can be the star of any cocktail. This is exactly why these cocktails are still popular today.
Brandy Cocktail
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It was hard not to start with this one, let alone include it. The Brandy Cocktail perfectly adheres to the definition of a cocktail. It mixes curaçao and brandy before finishing it off with two dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters and Angostura. You’ll find a subtle hint of bitters and orange, yet, at the same time, it’s a perfect way, and an elegant one, to dress up any glass of brandy.
Metropolitan
As whisky can nod to the Manhattan, and gin to the Martini, brandy has its very own Metropolitan. The classic recipe mixes simple syrup and sweet vermouth with brandy to make for a satisfying albeit simple drink that goes down perfectly before dinner. The inclusion of simple syrup brings just a touch of sweetness of the drink that balances the brandy and vermouth. You won’t want to add too much, however.
Tom and Jerry
We couldn’t make our way through the list without including one of the all-time best brandy cocktails. The Tom and Jerry is a traditional cocktail that’s offered around the festive season and is typically comprised of dark rum, brandy, simple syrup, warm milk, and egg. If you aren’t usually fond of this kind of drink (e.g. eggnog), make an exception, as it might just change your mind.
Brandy Daisy
This one isn’t all that dissimilar to the Brandy Cocktail while also representing a style of cocktail. The brandy version remains among the more tastier daisy cocktails, using just a few dashes of rum, Curacao, and simple syrup with lemon, along with soda that brings it all together. This is one highly delicate cocktail that’s perfect for some of the finer cognacs and brandies.
Sidecar
A drink that has been given many a facelift over the years. The Sidecar is also one that can be adapted to your personal taste. Its recipe uses the brandy you choose (often Armagnac or Cognac), along with lemon juice and orange liqueur. The sidecar is a wonderful brandy sour, especially if the cocktail’s rebalance is perfected for each brandy you choose.
Champagne Cocktail
When champagne meets brandy in a glass, pure elegance is a guaranteed result. This timeless drink isn’t merely enjoyed at celebrations, it’s amazing visual effect resulting from the bubble fountain is also there to be admired. The drink is a simple one yet the coupling of a great brandy and a great champagne is important because there is simply nothing to hide behind.