Which sidecar Cognac is right for You?
Cognacs that have been created especially for cocktails, and which may not have the traditional age categories on their labels, also work well. Whatever your taste preferences, it pays to play around with the levels of the Cognac, lemon and triple sec to find the perfect Sidecar for you.
What is a Sidecar cocktail?
The tart, dry cocktail features cognac, orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice, plus a sugared rim, and it’s a direct descendant of the Brandy Crusta, an old New Orleans cocktail that has enjoyed something of a comeback in recent years. The Sidecar was likely invented around World War I.
Which sidecar is right for You?
Whatever your taste preferences, it pays to play around with the levels of the Cognac, lemon and triple sec to find the perfect Sidecar for you. Developed especially for cocktails, VSOP Exclusif is made with eaux-de-vie from the four top growing regions in Cognac: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois.
What is the best cognac drink?
The Sidecar, with a century of history behind it, is probably the most famous of all classic cognac drinks, and it remains a favorite today.
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What is in a Sidecar alcoholic drink?
BrandySidecar / Main alcoholBrandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Wikipedia
What's a good mixer for cognac?
Top 9 Cognac Mixers For Your Next PartyGinger Ale. The combination of ginger's sweet and spicy flavor with the smooth and creamy taste of a VSOP or VS makes for a great long beverage.Aromatic Bitters. Cognac mixes well with aromatic bitters. ... Coca Cola. ... Lemonade. ... Wines. ... Lime Juice/Lemon Juice. ... Iced Tea. ... Sweet Vermouth. ... More items...•
Why is the drink called Sidecar?
The drink was directly named for the motorcycle attachment, which was very commonly used back then. The Ritz Hotel in Paris claims origin of the drink. The first recipes for the sidecar appear in 1922, in Harry MacElhone's Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails and Robert Vermeire's Cocktails and How to Mix Them.
Are brandy and cognac the same?
Every cognac is a brandy, but not all brandy is a cognac. As previously mentioned, brandy is distilled fruit juice, and it can be any kind of fruit juice, while cognac is a specific type of distilled fruit juice with lots of qualifications.
What is the most popular cognac?
Hennessy is a cognac house that needs no introduction as it's one of the most well-known cognac brands in the world — it's also the top-selling brand in the United States. Hennessy has one of the largest collections of eaux-de-vie in the world, with over 350,000 barrels stored in 65 cellars.
What is the best way to drink cognac?
As an aperitif, cognac is usually consumed neat. Adding a drop of water will reveal more fruity, floral, and spicy aromas, making the tasting experience smoother.
How do you drink VSOP brandy?
How to Drink Brandy StraightWarm the glass in your palm. ... Swirl the liquid. ... Observe the color. ... Hold the glass at chest height. ... Hold the glass at chin height. ... Raise the glass to your nose. ... Take a small sip. ... Take larger sips.More items...
What does sidecar taste like?
So what's the Sidecar taste like? The delicate richness of Cognac is complimented by tart lemon juice and smoothed over with a vibrant candied sweetness from orange liqueur. Imagine a lighter fruity whiskey sour balanced with bright lemon, that's what a Sidecar tastes like.
What juice goes with D Usse?
Pineapple Juice, coconut water, almond milk are all easy ingredients to pair. I recently tried a cocktail that contained D'USSE VSOP cognac with carrot Juice and fresh ginger syrup, it is surprisingly refreshing.
Which cognac is better VSOP or XO?
Is XO or VSOP better? An XO cognac must be aged for a minimum of 10 years, in comparison a VSOP must age for a minimum of four years. It comes down to personal preference which is better but an XO is usually considered as superior.
What does VSOP mean in cognac?
Very Superior Old PaleVSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”: VSOP cognacs are created from eaux-de-vie aged for at least four years. The VSOP category includes designations such as “Old” or “Reserve”. XO stands for “Extra Old”: XO cognacs are made only from eaux-de-vie at least six years old.
What is better cognac or brandy?
Brandy is any distilled spirit made from fermented fruit juice. Cognac is a specific type of barrel-aged brandy made in the Cognac region of France. Brandy is often sipped neat as an after-dinner drink, but is also used in many classic cocktails....What is cognac?Cognac age gradeMeaningX.OAged at least ten years3 more rows•Mar 17, 2022
What drink goes best with Hennessy?
Try Hennessy and Coke! This spin on the Rum and Coke might be considered low brow by some…but add this Cognac and it's a top notch drink! The oak, vanilla and caramel notes of the Hennessy are a perfect fit with the sweetness of bubbly cola.
Does orange juice go with cognac?
Combine the orange juice, cognac and triple sec in a large cocktail shaker. Strain. Pour mixture evenly among glasses and serve immediately with the peppercorn pate and Melba toast.
Is cognac similar to whiskey?
The main difference between Cognac vs Whiskey is that Cognac is made from grapes and Whiskey from grain. This grain is mixed with water and yeast then aged in barrels. Cognac begins as fermented grape juice then turns into wine. After that, the wine is double-distilled and matured in wooden barrels.
How do you serve Martell cognac?
Cognac may be drunk neat, with ice or diluted with a little water. At Martell, we do not recommend warming Cognac as it brings out the alcohol too strongly and releases the aromas too quickly.
5. Bertoux
This particular brandy is manufactured in California, aged in French Oak barrels for anywhere from five to seven years before it is made available for purchase. It’s important to remember that cognac is essentially brandy that has been aged in these types of barrels. That’s what gives it its distinct flavor.
4. Torres 15- Year Brandy
This is one of the more well-defined types of brandy that you might choose to utilize in a sidecar. Just like other brandies, it has also been aged in the French Oak barrels for a number of years. As a matter of fact, it sits in these barrels a lot longer than most of the versions made by the competition.
3. Grand Brulot VSOP Cognac Cafe
What makes this particular cognac so special? For starters, it’s infused with coffee.
2. Hennessy VS Cognac
People in the know will tell you that this particular brand of cognac doesn’t always get a fair shake. It has become so immersed in popular culture that people have started to write it off as opposed to recognizing its actual quality. However, most bartenders would also tell you that it would be a mistake to do so.
1. Pierre Ferrand Selection des Anges Cognac
There are plenty of things that make this one special, aside from the fact that it is aged for 30 years as opposed to the typical eight years of most cognacs. If that’s not enough to get your attention, consider this. This brand of cognac feels creamier than almost any other brand available.
Courvoisier VS Cognac
Historically, the brandy used in sidecars came in the form of Cognac, a version hailing from the Cognac region of France.
Hennessy VS Cognac
The Hennessy brand of Cognac claims considerable pop culture cache, but veteran bartender Lily Wall of Lynn, Massachusetts warns against viewing this popular spirit in a dismissive manner, especially where sidecars are concerned. “The best brandy to use [in a sidecar] is Hennessy. Seriously. It’s aged in French oak barrels for up to eight years.
Grand Brulot VSOP Cognac Café
Combining a coffee-infused Cognac with the citrusy ingredients of a sidecar may sound like a peculiar move, but mixologist Tiffanie Barriere of Les Dames d’Escoffier Atlanta urges you to put your skepticism aside and give it a shot.
Torres 15-Year Brandy
Spanish brandies can often be purchased at a lower price than their French counterparts, and mixology director Rus Yessenov of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto sees these “bargain” brandies as solid choices for sidecars. “Although Cognac dominates the brandy market, Spanish brandies like Torres 15 offer great value.
Bertoux Brandy
American distilleries produce a wide variety of brandies, and former bartender and current creative director Rex Chatterjee of Dune Road Lifestyle Events in New York prefers the French-inspired (but California-made) Bertoux Brandy in his sidecars.
Copper & Kings Butchertown Brandy
This Kentucky brandy, appropriately aged in bourbon barrels, earned high marks from many of our surveyed experts, including chef/proprietor Sara Bradley of freight house in Paducah, Kentucky. “I love using Copper & Kings Butchertown Brandy — it’s high proof and always tastes like blackberries to me.
Boulard Calvados VSOP
While most brandies use grape wine as their distillation base, some instead utilize apple cider, resulting in a spirit with a distinct malic presence that blends nicely with the citrus flavors a sidecar. One of the world’s most famous apple brandy categories is Calvados, a style unique to the Normandy region of France.
The History of the Sidecar
As most cocktail origins go, there are a few stories about who mixed up the first sidecar. One common story is found in "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks" (1948) by David Embury. It says the drink was developed in a Parisian bistro during World War I by a friend who rode up to a favorite bar in a motorcycle's sidecar.
How Strong is the Sidecar?
Short drinks like the sidecar are served at such low volumes because they are heavy on the liquor and rather potent. With an 80-proof base liquor, the average sidecar weighs in around 26 percent ABV (52 proof). This is in line with similar cocktails like the martini and Manhattan.
What Cognac Is Best for a Sidecar?
Choose a cognac with a balanced flavor for a sidecar. Try Hennessy, Pierre Ferrand, Camus, H By Hine, or Rémy Martin.
