For the Sidecar, we’re looking for something to balance out the lemon juice and add a nice zestiness, so I’m using the old faithful, Cointreau. St Remy, Martell, Courvoisier and so on will all substitute in nicely, so just choose your favourite!Ĭuracao or Triple Sec are just orange liqueurs, and again can be quite varied- it’s good to look at what end result you want before choosing. Hennessey is really seen as the quintessential cognac, and I find the VS, which is at least 2 years old, mixes really well in cocktails. The VSOP is at least 4 years old, and just brings a bit more spice and woody notes.

Run a lemon wedge around the outside of half of the glass and dab in powdered sugar, shaking off any excess.Īdd all ingredients to shaker tins, add as much ice as will fit and shake hard.ĭouble strain into your chilled and rimmed glass, give your piece of lemon peel a sharp fold over the top of the drink to expel the oils and discard.īecause the Sidecar is brighter and more citrus heavy, I am using a more fruit forward and lighter brandy. Lemon peel to twist and discard (optional) Ingredients 2 ounces VSOP Cognac 1 ounce Cointreau 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice Superfine sugar, for garnish (optional) Orange or lemon twist, for garnish (.

I like to see it as the love child of the Brandy Crusta and a classic Sour, using the flavour combination from one and the proportions of the other to create a bright but rich and complex cocktail which has stood the test of time. The name of the cocktail is also disputed- some say it was named for an Army Captain who used to arrive at the bar in a motorcycle sidecar others say it comes from the bartending practice of pouring any excess cocktail from the shaker in to a little shot glass to the side once the cocktail glass was full.Įarly recipes, including Harry McElhone’s, actually called for a 1:1:1 ratio which makes for quite a clumsy tasting drink. If you want to mix this delicious cocktail at home, check out Bushell’s recipe for the classic below.The Sidecar’s exact birthplace is debated – shocking in the world of cocktail history, I know – but it’s safe to say it gained renown after World War I at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris and was inducted in to the cocktail hall of fame with its inclusion in the seminal bartending book by the same Harry, ‘Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails’. On the nose, it bursts with vanilla, clove, and cinnamon, and finishes on the palate with delicate, woody notes. This bottling was made to be enjoyed in classic cocktails like the Sidecar and brings a full-bodied, complex profile to the drink. This double-distillation process yields a brandy that is technically referred to as eau-de-vie, which must then be aged in French oak barrels for a minimum of two years.īecause Hennessy is the best-selling cognac in the world, it only makes sense to mix this iconic libation with its V.S.O.P Privilège expression. This means that all cognacs are brandies, but not all brandies are cognacs. Make sure you try our Rosemary Sidecar cocktail made of Hennessy cognac, Cointreau, rosemary simple syrup and fresh lemon juice served with a sugar rim. London laid claim to the cocktail just after the end of World War I with a similar story about the army captain and his bike, substituting Harry’s Bar for the Buck’s Club.”Ĭognac is a type of brandy that is double-distilled from white grapes and can only be made in Cognac, France. The Big Apple Hennessy V.S The Incredible Hennessy HENNESSY V.S.O.P Paloma Cocktail Hennessy V.S Henny-rita Cocktail HENNESSY V.S.O.P THE TAMARINDO COCKTAIL Hennessy V. There is a strong possibility if they did not create it, they were familiar with the recipe, as it is mentioned in the cocktail book Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails. “Regardless of the influence of the Crusta, many believe it was created at the famous Harry’s New York Bar in Paris for an army captain who rode up to the bar in the sidecar of a motorcycle. “The cocktail itself may be based on a Brandy Crusta, which was created in New Orleans at the Jewel of the South bar in 1840,” Bushell says.

To learn more about this crowd-pleasing drink, we chatted with Jordan Bushell, the head of mixology and brand education at Hennessy U.S. This classic cocktail originated in the Ritz Hotel Bar in Paris. 1 cup of water (8 ounces) (filtered water) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp of xylitol crystals 1/2 tsp baking soda The dilution should be done immediately before. Perfect for special occasions Discover Hennessy Guava. It’s thought to have originated from Harry’s New York Bar in Paris and features a light, bright mix of cognac, Grand Marnier, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Discover Hennessy Guava, the cognac cocktail recipe which brings a sweet, fruity taste of spring to your palate. The classic Sidecar is perhaps the most iconic cognac cocktail in the world.

Hennessy sidecar drink