Experts say your home bar needs Cognac (and three simple summer cocktail recipes)

Cognac Cocktails and Drinks

Cognac is called “the king of brandies” and is produced in the Charente region in southwest France. Unlike brandy, in order to be called Cognac, it must be made in this specific part of France. (Like champagne, for example).

Cognac is made with fermented white grapes and is aged for at least two years. At each stage of production, it is subjected to a rigorous distilling process that ends with aging in wood barrels. This yields Cognac’s rich and warm earthy flavor that is a go-to comfort in cold winters and hot summers alike.

What most people don’t know about Cognac is that it is a staple in a good bar. In fact, the book “ The 12 Bottle Bar: A Dozen Bottles. Hundreds of Cocktails ” has a section dedicated to this spirit. Cognac has actually been a strong part of cocktail culture since the first cocktail manual was published about 150 years ago.

Cognac is a good spirit for people that enjoy bourbon or amber rum since Cognac offers similar hints of sweetness, vanilla, and the oaky flavor that comes from the aging barrels. Cognac is a very flexible spirit that is often used as a substitute for dark spirits in cocktails.

Begin your love affair with this spirit with these simple summer Cognac cocktail recipes:

Stinger

Ingredients:

1 oz. Campari

1 oz. high proof Cognac

¼ tsp. Grade B maple syrup

2 mint sprigs

Instructions:

Muddle mint in a cocktail shaker. Add the other ingredients and shake. Strain the mixture over crushed ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

The Cowboy Killer Manhattan

Ingredients:

2 oz. bourbon

1 oz. sweet vermouth

1 oz. Cognac Liqueur

6 Morello cherries

2 dashes bitters

Preparation:

Muddle the Morello cherries with bitters. Add the remaining ingredients in a mixing glass and then add ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a coupe glass and garnish with cherries on a toothpick.

Summit Cocktail

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Cognac

2 oz. lemon-lime soda

4 thin slices fresh ginger

1 lime zest

1 long piece of cucumber

Preparation:

Put the lime and ginger into a glass and pour in .75 oz. of Cognac. Press lightly with a spoon a couple of times. Fill half the glass with ice and stir for a few seconds. Pour in the remaining Cognac and add the lemon-lime soda and cucumber. Stir well and serve immediately while it’s still cold and fizzy.