You can shake up a perfectly good Sidecar with an ordinary VSOP brandy and Cointreau. Or you can make a sublime version by using Hardy XO Rare Cognac or Hennessy and a slightly drier triple sec such as Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, a wonderfully complex orange liqueur.
The following recipe, according to writer James Chatto, brings out the best in both. Getting things cold enough is essential: Chill the glass, and shake your cocktail shaker until it’s frosty.
Classic Sidecar Cocktail
This classic Sidecar cocktail combines cognac, orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice for a perfectly balanced drink that has been a favourite on cocktail menus for generations.
Ingredients
- ice
- 2 oz Hardy Rare XO Cognac ot Hennessy Cognac
- 1½ oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
- ¾ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- orange twist for garnish
Instructions
- Fill cocktail shaker with ice; add cognac, curaçao and lemon juice. Shake well, then strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with orange twist.
Curious about the drink’s origins? Read the story behind the Sidecar cocktail and why it’s making a comeback.
