Brandy Crusta

Listed in the first ever cocktail guide, The Bon Vivants Companion back in 1862 by Jerry “The Professor” Thomas, the Brandy Crusta perfectly balances of rich orange notes of a VSOP cognac with the sweet of Triple Sec (orange liqueur) and the tart of fresh lemon juice with spicy aromatic bitters.

Brandy Crusta 1862

Regarded by many to be the precursor to the popular Sidecar cocktail, the Crusta is well distinguished by its unique sugar rim (“crusta”) and lemon peel lining. Despite publishing over 200 recipes in his legendary cocktail guide, Jerry Thomas only supplied two illustrations throughout, both of which were brandy cocktails – Pousse L’Amor and Brandy Crusta.

Recipe

2 parts Courvoisier® VSOP EXCLUSIF™ Cognac

½ Fresh lemon squeezed

1 part Triple sec (orange liqueur)

½ part Sugar syrup

1 Lemon peel with pitch removed

1 Tbsp Crushed Demerara Sugar

Crusta Cocktail

Glass: Small wine, snifter or tulip glass

Method: Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake hard until cool and well mixed. Strain into a chilled, sugar rimmed tulip glass lined with the skin of a whole lemon.

More cognac cocktail recipes, here: Cognac Drinks & Cocktails