Champagne Cocktail
A classic Champagne cocktail of sugar cube, bitters and cognac, sparkling with elegance.
Ingredients
- Cognac30 ml
- Champagne, cold, brut Champagnetop up
- Sugar1 cube
- Aromatic bitters (Angostura)e.g. Angostura3 dashes
- Lemon, for garnish (or a candied cherry) (optional)1 twist
Method
- Put a Champagne flute in the freezer for a few minutes, so it is properly cold.
- Place the sugar cube in the bottom of the glass and shake the Angostura bitters over it, so it soaks them up.
- Pour the cognac over the bitters-soaked sugar cube.
- Top up carefully with cold, dry Champagne to preserve the bubbles.
- Garnish with a strip of lemon peel or a candied cherry, and serve at once.
About this drink
The Champagne Cocktail is one of the oldest drinks in Western bar tradition and can be traced to the mid-nineteenth century, when it became a fixture of good society’s evenings. The bitters-soaked sugar cube was originally a practical way to distribute the bitters evenly in the glass, while cognac adds warm, fruity depth beneath the bubbles. The drink appears in almost every classic bar book and remains one of the most elegant choices for a toast.
Questions and answers
Why is a sugar cube placed in the bottom of the glass?
The sugar cube absorbs the Angostura bitters and releases them gradually as the bubbles rise through it. This gives the drink a flavour that changes subtly from the first sip to the last.
Is Prosecco acceptable instead of Champagne?
Yes, though the drink will be a little less dry and elegant. Champagne has an acidity and finesse that Prosecco cannot quite match, but the result is still good.
