Brandy and Cognac cocktails
Brandy is distilled fruit, and grapes are the standard. Cognac is the best known: smooth and grape-sweet, made for classics such as the Sidecar and the Vieux Carré. Ordinary grape brandy and Armagnac do the same job with a slightly more rustic edge.
Buy a VSOP. A VS is too young to carry a drink, and an XO is money you drink too quickly in a cocktail.
Apple brandy is a branch of its own: Calvados from Normandy or American applejack, drier and sharper than grape brandy, and essential in a Jack Rose.
18 recipes · filter them on the full list
Between the SheetsA spirit-forward classic of cognac, rum and Cointreau, sharpened with fresh lemon.
Brandy AlexanderA creamy classic with cognac, chocolate and cream — soft, rich and a little cheeky in the evening.
Chambord SidecarA French sidecar with a raspberry twist: cognac’s warmth meets Chambord’s berry sweetness and fresh lemon.
Champagne CocktailA classic Champagne cocktail of sugar cube, bitters and cognac, sparkling with elegance.
Champs-ÉlyséesCognac and green Chartreuse meet in a French classic with tart citrus and spicy bitterness.
Daisy SidecarA classic Sidecar with a touch more sweetness, giving the cognac's depth a gentle, rounded counterpoint.
French ConnectionCognac and amaretto in equal parts: a round, nutty-sweet after-dinner drink over ice.
G.E.M. CocktailA classic split-base drink of cognac and Jamaican rum, tart lime and pineapple sweetness.
Harvard CocktailCognac and sweet vermouth in elegant balance, given a gentle sparkle by a splash of soda.
LumumbaWarm chocolate milk meets cognac in one of Europe's most nostalgic comfort drinks.
Normandy CocktailApple brandy meets elderflower and citrus in a light, floral highball with a hint of tonic bitterness.
Not Your Abuela's SangriaSangria as a cocktail: red wine and brandy shaken with pineapple, cinnamon and a cheeky splash of cola. Built in the shaker, ready in minutes.
Porto FlipA creamy after-dinner cocktail of cognac, tawny port and a velvety egg yolk.
SidecarThe classic Sidecar of cognac, orange liqueur and fresh lemon, finely balanced between sweet and sour.
StingerCool, silky cognac meets sharp, clear mint in this classic after-dinner drink.
Widow's KissA rich, herbal after-dinner drink of apple brandy, yellow Chartreuse and Bénédictine with a touch of bitters.
Jack RoseA classic American sour of apple brandy, fresh lemon and real grenadine: tart, round and beautifully pink.
SangriaA fresh Spanish wine punch of red wine, brandy and plenty of fruit, made for long, sunny afternoons.