Brandy Drinks Page

Brandy

Brandy is distilled from fermented fruit, sometimes aged in oak casks, and usually bottled at 80 proof. Long enjoyed as an after dinner drink, brandy is also widely used in mixed drinnks and cooking. It is produced in a number of countries. The term brandy, used alone, means a spirit that has been distilled from grape wine.

Cognac is a fine brandy known for its smoothness and heady scent. It is produced only in the Cognac region of France. (Hence, all cognac is brandy, but not a brandy os cognac.) The age of cognac is guaranteed by authorities only up to six years. Beyond that there is no official standard, so you might find quite a range of designations.

Hennessy was one of the first to introduce a system that would help consumers differentiate among various cognacs. Sometimes known as Three Star, VS (Very Special) cognac is a blend from brandies that have aged a minimum of two years, but many have aged considerably longer. In Hennessy's VS, there are brandies that are up to ten years old. VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) refers to blends that are not less than four years old. The descriptor XO (Extra Old) denotes a blend of considerable age. The Hennessy family was the first to use this designation. Other descriptions such as Napoleon, Extra, Vielle Reserve, and Vieux mean the same thing.

Armagnac is much like cognac but has a richer taste. This brandy is produced only in the Armagnac region of France.

American brandy, virtually all of which is distilled in California, has its own taste characteristics. Unlike European brandies, California brandies are usually produced by individual firms that grow the grapes, distill, age, blend, bottle, and market the brandies under there own brand names. They are typically light and smooth.

Apple Brandy, Applejack, and Calvados are apple brandies distilled from apple cider. Calvados is produced only in Normandy, France. Germany also has a long tradition of making fine brandy, even though the country is at the northernmost limit of wine production. One pioneer of fine brandy was Hugo Asbach, who described his brandy as "Weinbrand", the German word for grape brandy, which subsequently became the generic term for high-quality wine spirits. In an attempt to emulate the qualities of cognac, some German brandies are blended solely from grape spirits produced in pot-stills. However, the best German brandy is blended from spirits derived from both pot and continuous stills, giving it its own style, with an emphasis on flavor and smoothness. Asbach Uralt Brandy is a blend of both types of wine spirit, aged for over two years in small oak casks. The result epitomizes German brandy at its best and is richer and rounder than many cognac brandies.

Fruit brandies--eaux de vie--are water white, 80 to 90 proof spirits distilled directly from fruits. Fruit brandies made from cherries are called Kirsch or Kirschwasser; from pears, Poire, and from raspberries, Framboise. They are best served chilled over ice. Fruit-flavored brandies are brandy based liqueurs flavored with blackberries, peaches, apricots, cherries, and so on.

Brandies fine enough to be drunk undiluted out of a snifter do not need to be heated over a candle. The warmth of a hand is sufficient to enhance the bouquet.

After Dinner Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Leave lime in glass.

Alexander Cocktail No. 2

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.

American Beauty Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass and top with a dash of Port.

Apple Brandy Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Apple Brandy Highball

Pour over ice cubes into highball glass. Fill with ginger ale or club soda. Add a twist of lemon peel, if desired, and stir.

Apple Brandy Rickey

Fill highball glass with club soda and ice cubes. Leave lime in glass. Stir.

Apple Brandy Sour

Shake with ice and strain into sour glass. Decorate with half-slice of lemon and a cherry.

Apricot Brandy Rickey

Pour into highball glass over ice cubes and fill with club soda. Drop a rind of lime into glass. Stir.

Apricot Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Apricot Cooler

In collins glass, dissolve powdered sugar and club soda. Stir and fill glass with cracked ice and add brandy. Add club soda or ginger ale and stir again. Insert a spiral of orange or lemon peel (or both) and dangle end over rim of glass.

Apricot Fizz

Shake with cracked ice and strain into highball glass with two ice cubes. Fill with club soda.

B & B

Use cordial glass and carefully float the brandy on top of the Benedictine.

Babbie's Special Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Bee Stinger

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Betsy Ross

Shake with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Bombay Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Bosom Caresser

Shake with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Brandied Madeira

Stir with cracked ice and strain into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes. Add a twist of lemon peel.

Brandied Port

Shake all ingredients and strain into old-fashioned glass with ice cubes. Add a slice of orange.

Brandy Alexander

Shake well with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Brandy Cassis

Shaked with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass. Add a twist of lemon peel.

Brandy Cobbler

Dissolve powdered sugar in club soda. Fill 10-oz goblet with shaved ice. Add brandy. Stir well and decorate with fruits in season. Serve with straws.

Brandy Cocktail

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Add a twist of lemon peel.

Brandy Collins

Shake with cracked ice and strain into collins glass. Add cubes of ice, fill with club soda, and stir. Decorate with a slice of orange or lemon and a cherry. Serve wth straws.

Brandy Crusta Cocktail

Moisten the edge of a cocktail glass with lemon and dip into sugar. Cut the rind of half a lemon into a spiral and place in glass. Stir the above ingredients with ice and strain into sugar-rimmed glass. Add a slice of orange.

Brandy Daisy

Shake with ice and stain into stein or 8-oz metal cup. Add cubes of ice and decorate with fruit.

Brandy Fix

Mix lemon juice, powdered sugar, and water in a highball glass. Stir. Then fill glass with shaved ice and brandy. Stir, add a slice of lemon. Serve with straws.

Brandy Fizz

Shake with cracked ice and strain into highball glass over two ice cubes. Fill with club soda.

Brandy Gump Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Brandy Highball

Pour brandy over ice into highball glass. Fill with ginger ale or club soda. Add a twist of lemon peel and stir gently.

Brandy Julep

Into collins glass put sugar, mint leaves, and brandy. Fill glass with finely shaved ice and stir until mint rises to top, being careful not to bruise leaves. (Do not hold glass in hand while stirring.) Decorate with a slice of pineapple, orange, or lemon, and a cherry. Serve with straws.

Brandy Milk Punch

Shake with ice, strain into collins glass, and sprinkle nutmeg on top.

Brandy Sangaree

Dissolve sugar in water and add brandy. Pour over ice into highball glass. Fill with club soda and stir. Float port on top and sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

Brandy Sling

Dissolve sugar in water and lemon juice. Add brandy. Serve in old-fashioned glass with cubed ice and a twist of lemon peel.

Brandy Smash

Muddle cube of sugar with club soda and mint in old-fashioned glass. Add brandy and ice cubes. Stir and decorate with a slice of orange and a cherry. Add a twist of lemon peel on top.

Brandy and Soda

Pour brandy into collins glass with ice cubes. Fill with club soda.

Brandy Sour

Shake with ice and strain into sour glass. Decorate with a half-slice of lemon and a cherry.

Brandy Squirt

Shake with ice and strain into highball glass and fill with club soda. Decorate with stick of pineapple and strawberries.

Brandy Swizzle

Put lime juice, sugar, and club soda into collins glass. Fill glass with ice and stir. Add bitters and brandy. Add club soda and serve with a swizzle stick.

Brandy Toddy

Dissolve the sugar and water in an old-fashioned glass. Add the brandy and ice cube. Stir and add a twist of lemon peel on top.

Brandy Vermouth Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Brantini

Stir with cracked ice and strain into old-fashioned glass with cubed ice. Add a twist of lemon peel.

Bulldog Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Bull's Eye

Pour into highball glass over ice cubes and fill with ginger ale. Stir.

Bull's Milk

Shake with ice and strain into collins glass. Sprinkle nutmeg and pinch of cinnamon on top.

Button Hook Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Cadiz

Shake with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.

Cara Sposa

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Carrol Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Serve with a cherry.

Champs Elysees Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Charles Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Cherry Blossom

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass that has had its rim moistened with cherry brandy and dipped into powdered sugar. Add a maraschino cherry.

Cherry Fizz

Shake with ice and strain into highball glass with two ice cubes. Fill with club soda and decorate with a cherry.

Cherry Sling

Serve in old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes and stir. Add a twist of lemon peel.

Chicago Cocktail

Prepare old-fashion glass by rubbing slice of lemon around rim and dipping into powdered sugar. Stir ingredients with ice and strain into prepared glass.

Classic Cocktail

Prepare old-fashion glass by rubbing slice of lemon around rim and dipping into powdered sugar. Shake ingredients with ice and strain into prepared glass.

Coffee Grasshopper

Shake with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.

Cognac Highball

Pour cognac into highball glass over ice cubes and fill with ginger ale or club soda. Add a twist of lemon peel if desired, and stir.

Cold Deck Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Creme de Cafe

Shake with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass.

Cuban Cocktail No. 2

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Deauville Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Depth Bomb

Shake with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.

Dream Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

East India Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Add a twist of lemon peel and a cherry.

Ethel Duffy Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Fancy Brandy

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Add a twist of lemon peel.

Fantasio Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Fontainbleau Special

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Froupe Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Georgia Mint Julep

Put mint into collins glass with ice. A sugar and splash of water. Muddle, then add brandy and peach liqueur. Decorate with mint leaves.

Gilroy Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Golden Dawn

Shake all ingredients except grenadine with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Add grenadine.

Harvard Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Harvard Cooler

Into collins glass put sugar and club soda. Stir. Then add ice cubes and apple brandy. Fill with club soda or ginger ale and stir again. Insert a spiral of orange and/or lemon peel and dangle over rim of glass.

Hennessy Martini

Fill shaker or mixing glass with ice. Add Hennessy and lemon juice. Stir gently, don't shake. Let settle. Strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.

Honeymoon Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Jack-in-the-Box

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Jack Rose Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Jamaica Granito

Combine in collins glass and stir. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.

Jamaica Hop

Shake well with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Jersey Lightning

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Lady Be Good

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

La Jolla

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Liberty Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Lugger

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Luxury Cocktail

Stir and pour into Champage flute.

Merry Widow Cocktail No. 2

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Serve with a cherry.

Metropolitan Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Midnight Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Mikado Cocktail

Stir in old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.

Montana

Stir in old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.

Moonlight

Shake with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.

Morning Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Serve with a cherry.

Morning Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Serve with a cherry.

Netherland

Stir in old-fashioned glass with ice cubes.

Olympic Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Paradise Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Peach Sangaree

Put brandy into highball glass with ice cubes. Fill glass with club soda. Stir and float port on top. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

Polonaise

Shake with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.

Poop Deck Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Princess Pousse Cafe

Pour cream carefully on top of brandy, so that it does not mix with the other ingredients. Use pousse-cafe glass.

Royal Smile Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

St. Charles Punch

Shake all ingredients except port with ice. Strain into collins glass with ice. Top with port. Add a slice of lemon and a cherry.

Saratoga Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Saucy Sue Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Shriner Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Add a twist of lemon peel.

Sidecar Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Singapore Sling

Shake lemon, sugar, and gin with ice and strain into collins glass. Add ice cubes and fill with club soda. Float cherry-flavored brandy on top. Decorate with fruits in season and serve with straws.

Sloppy Joes Cocktail no. 2

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Sombrero

Pour brandy into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes. Float cream on top.

Soother Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Special Rough Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Star Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Add a twist of lemon peel.

Stinger

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Stirrup Cup

Shake with ice and strain into old-fashioned glass over ice cubes.

Tempter Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Thanksgiving Special

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Serve with a cherry.

Tulip Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Valencia Cocktail

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Vanderbilt Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Whip Cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Widow's Kiss

Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

Windy Corner Cocktail

Stir brandy with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top.

Last modified: Wed Apr 20 1995