As I’ve meandered through brandy cocktails this week I’ve come to appreciate brandy as a base spirit. It’s really quite versatile and has been working quite well with a number of flavors. I’ve also noticed the number of cocktails that use Cointreau, the orange flavored liqueur. This got me thinking about what could I come up with that would use brandy? Orange seems to work well, but what else would? I let my mind wander (something its good at, just ask my teachers) and finally reached the Cooper Brothers cocktail that I had created earlier in this journey. I decided to give it a whirl, using brandy in place of the rye whiskey.
Brandy Cooper Brothers
- 1-1/2 oz brandy
- 1/2 oz St. Germain
- 1/4 oz Domaine de Canton
- 1 orange slice
Muddle the orange slice in a mixing glass. Add ice and the liquid ingredients. Stir to chill and mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange peel.
Nice, very nice. This may even taste a bit better than the original rye whiskey version – it’s a little mellower and the orange flavor seems to really pop. You might also be wondering why I muddle the orange slice instead of just using juice. The reason I muddle the orange slice is that I really work over the peel, getting the oils from it to release and mix with the liquid ingredients. This adds quite a bit of flavor and aroma to the cocktail. It’s an extra step worth taking!
Cheers!