I love serving signature cocktails when guests come to my parties. During the summer months, I’m always looking for new drink ideas that aren’t being served everywhere, so when the fine folks at Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac shared some interesting facts about the region and the spirit, along with cocktail recipes, I was thrilled.

About Cognac

The Cognac region is situated in southwestern France, about 75 miles north of Bordeaux. The region known for its  maritime climate and chalky soils, has been producing spirits since the 16th century, when the Dutch  introduced the process of distillation — which the French improved by the creation of the double distillation method. 

82.6 million bottles of Cognac were exported to the USA in 2017, making the United States Cognac’s largest export market.

Here are 3 Cognac Cocktails to Rock Summer:

Corny Alexander
Photo by: Stacie Grissom

CORNY ALEXANDER (Recipe by: Stacie Grissom)

Ingredients: 

• 5 oz Cognac V.S.
• 5 oz simple syrup
• .75 oz lime juice
• Handful of fresh sweet corn kernels cut off the cob (about 1/4 cup)
• Basil for muddling and garnish

Directions:

1. Blend the Cognac and corn together and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a cocktail shaker- tip: use the back of a spoon to push all the liquid out of the corn solids.
2. Add simple syrup, lime juice, and basil to the shaker and muddle the basil.
3. Shake with ice.
4. Strain and serve in a coupe glass.
5. Garnish with corn husk curl, corn kernels and a sprig of basil.

Casino Collins
Photo by: Jorge Gera

CASINO COLLINS (Recipe by: Bridget Albert, SGWS National Director of Education Beam Suntory)

Ingredients:   

• 75 oz Cognac V.S.O.P.
• .5 oz fresh lemon juice
• .5 oz simple syrup
• 4 oz Prosecco
• .25 oz of Absinthe Float MetHOd

Directions: 

1. Combine Cognac, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup in a Collins glass, add ice.
2. Top with Prosecco.
3. Add Absinthe.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Sur La Charante
Photo By: Geert Teuwen

SUR LA CHARENTE (Recipe by: Ezra Star, General Manager Drink, Boston)

Ingredients:

• 5 oz Cognac V.S.O.P.
• .5 oz lemon juice
• .5 oz Amaro Montenegro
• .5 cinnamon syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura

Directions:  Shake the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe.

Cheers,

Veronique