Sophie’s Meukow Cognac Cocktails from California

On Labor Day weekend, I joined friends in Joshua Tree near Palm Springs, California. It’s very simple: Enjoy the dry desert heat, the pool, the BBQ, sleeping, reading – and of course sipping on some refreshing cocktails throughout the day.  What better way to spend the holiday weekend?…

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So I decided to bring along a bottle of Meukow VSOP Superior and a Meukow XO Grande Champagne. And one other little treat for after dinner and with desert: Meukow Xpresso Liqueur, a recent product of the Cognac house, which reminded me of the similarly decadent Meukow Vanilla liqueur, which is delicious over ice cream!

I made some pretty sexy cocktails for everyone – especially considering I’m not a master mixologist. I have to admit, there might have been one or two less exciting concoctions…but hey, it was was a passionate project that lead to some seriously classy outcome.

Meukow Cognac was the perfect Cognac to use, as it is a Cognac that is easily enjoyed and doesn’t have too heavy notes of oak. Of course the Meukow XO, which is much more mature than the VSOP, is not per se made for mix drinks, but it added a really special note to the drinks.

The two drinks I was most proud of, and which were received best by my tasting committee, were the “Cognac Caipirinha” with cane sugar, key limes, and Meukow VSOP; and the “Bright and Stormy”, a long drink with Meukow XO, ginger beer, and fresh mint.

For the Bright and Stormy, I got inspired by the fact that the Compagnie de Guyenne, the company behind Meukow Cognac, recently added the artisanal Thomas Henry Ginger Beer to their roster for distribution in France. Congrats!

Here are my recipes:

Cognac Caipirinha

3 key limes (cut into slices)

2 tsp cane sugar

2 shots Cognac Meukow VSOP

crushed ice

Preparation: Put all the lime slices in a tumbler glass. Add the sugar. Then take a wooden mortar and juice the limes straight in the glass. This will take a few minutes. The juice of the limes will absorb the sugar, creating a nice and creamy sirup. Add crushed ice till the glass is full. Pour the Cognac over at the end, and stir with a spoon. Serve!

Bright and Stormy

2 shots Cognac Meukow XO

Ginger Beer

fresh mint

ice cubes

Preparation: Pour 2 shots of Cognac in a tall cocktail glass. Add a couple of ice cubes. Then fill up the glass with ginger beer. Add a twig of fresh mint. Serve!

Try making these cocktails during your getaway. And let us know what you think! Or maybe you come up with other creative ideas how to mix a Cognac like Meukow and turn it into delicious drinks. Oh, I shouldn’t forget to mention that Meukow XO is also beautiful when enjoyed neat. That’s when the mature aromas really unfold. But we found that the ginger beer brought out some really fine notes as well. It’s all a matter of taste – everything is allowed as far as we’re concerned.

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