Recipes

Champagne Cocktails

Champagne Cocktails

Added: 24th Sep 2024

Ingredients

  • 1 glass Perrier Jouët Grand Brut champagne, chilled
  • 1 sugar cube
  • peel of 1 lemon
  • 20ml (¾fl oz) good-quality cognac (if desired)
     

 For the bitters       

  • Large pinch red sandalwood powder
  • Large pinch cinchona bark
  • Pinch dried orange peel
  • Pinch cinnamon bark
  • 1 tonka bean
  • Pinch star anise
  • Pinch cloves
  • 900ml (1½pt) vodka (40% proof)
  • 100ml (3½fl oz) dark rum

Method

To make the bitters

  • Evenly grind the barks, spices and sandalwood powder in a food processor or using a pestle and mortar
  • Pour them over 700ml (1¼pt) of the vodka
  • Macerate for 14 days in a sealed container

To serve…

  • Add the rum and the remaining vodka. Pour into small bottles.
  • The flavour will become more balanced if the bitters have been stored for a few weeks.
  • To make the cocktails, rub the sugar cube thoroughly over the lemon peel to flavour the sugar:  soak it in the bitters and put it in the glass.
  • If using cognac, pour it into the glass.
  • Carefully top up with champagne. Do not stir.

The drink is dry to start with, and by the end becomes stronger and sweeter. The final swig is aromatic and sweet.