Best French Alcoholic Mixed Drink Types
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Mimosa is a classic breakfast cocktail that transforms a simple morning meal into a decadent event. The cocktail is made with freshly squeezed orange juice and Champagne or any dry sparkling wine. Grand Marnier or bitters can also be added in order to elevate the flavors even further.
To prepare it, orange juice is poured into a champagne flute, and it is then topped with Champagne or sparkling wine. It is believed that the famous director Alfred Hitchcock introduced the Mimosa as a brunch staple in the United States in the 1940s.
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Kir Royale is a French cocktail consisting of crème de cassis and Champagne. It is a modern version of traditional Kir which is made with crème de cassis and white wine. Just like regular Kir, the Royale variety is also served in a flute glass without garnishes, usually as an apéritif.
If the cocktail is made with raspberry liqueur instead of crème de cassis, it is then called Kir Impérial.
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A cocktail made with blackcurrant liqueur (typically crème de cassis) and white wine is known as Kir, a traditional French beverage that is usually consumed as an apéritif. The cocktail got its name after Felix Kir, who popularized it after World War II through the twinning movement, which promoted friendship between towns, cities, countries, and cultures.
In the past, it was called blanc-cassis, when it was made exclusively with a measure of liqueur topped up with Bourgogne Aligoté, but nowadays it is reinvented and includes various white wines in the preparation process. Traditional Kir is typically served in a flute glass, but if Champagne is added instead of white wine, it becomes Kir Royale.
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French 75 is a classic cocktail made with gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and champagne. To prepare it, gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup are shaken with ice, strained into a glass, then topped with champagne and garnished with lemon peel.
It is believed that the cocktail was invented by Scott Harry McElhone, the owner of Harry’s American Bar in Paris in 1926, who named it after a strong artillery gun used by the French military. Shortly after, American soldiers fell in love with the cocktail and brought it back to the United States, where it was a huge hit, especially at New York City’s famous Stork Club.
Although it is said that French 75 was made with cognac instead of gin in its early history, nowadays there are countless ways to prepare variations of this refreshing classic.
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Blue Lagoon is a refreshing summer cocktail made with a combination of vodka, blue curaçao, and lemonade. In order to prepare it, vodka and curaçao are shaken with ice, then strained into a highball glass filled with ice, and topped with lemonade.
The cocktail is typically garnished with an orange or lemon slice before serving. It is believed that Blue Lagoon was invented by Harry MacElhone’s son, Andy, at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1972.
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Sometimes described as "Negroni’s long-lost autumnal cousin," Boulevardier is a mixed drink made with a combination of Campari, sweet vermouth, and bourbon or rye whiskey. The ingredients are mixed with ice, then strained into a chilled cocktail glass.
The cocktail often garnished with a twist of orange peel or a cherry. The first version of Boulevardier can be found in Harry McElhone’s 1927 bar guide, Barflies and Cocktails. This cocktail was the signature drink of Erskine Gwynne, who edited a monthly magazine in Paris, named The Boulevardier.
A decadent cocktail made with absinthe and champagne is known as Death in the Afternoon. Thanks to its inventor - Ernest Hemingway, it is often referred to as the Hemingway Champagne, or simply The Hemingway. The cocktail originates from 1930's Paris, when the writer spent time in the city writing and enjoying absinthe.
Due to the emulsification of absinthe, the cocktail is milky in appearance, with a bubbly structure, and Hemingway’s instructions were to drink three to five of these cocktails slowly from a champagne glass.
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A French apéritif from Burgundy known as Cardinal is a version of the traditional Kir cocktail made with a small amount of crème de cassis which is topped with red wine instead of white wine. The preparation of Cardinal usually includes dry red wine with high acidities, such as Pinot Noir, but when it is replaced by Beaujolais, it becomes Communard.
In order to prepare it, crème de cassis is first poured into a wine glass filled with ice, followed by red wine, which mixes the drink to completion. This refreshing and slightly sweet short drink is typically served in a regular wine glass, with blackberries and raspberries placed on the rim of the glass as a garnish.
Kir Impérial is a modern version of Kir Royale. The cocktail is made with Champagne and black raspberry liqueur instead of crème de cassis. This elegant sparkling apéritif should not be overly sweet, so it needs a small amount of liqueur - typically Chambord - to add a subtle flavor of raspberries.
It is typically served chilled in a flute glass during holidays and celebrations, and it is often garnished with various fruits, depending on personal preferences.
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Old Pal is a French cocktail made with a combination of Canadian whiskey, Campari, and dry vermouth. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should be stirred with ice, then strained into a cocktail glass filled with ice. If desired, this dry and bitter drink can be garnished with an orange slice.
It is believed that the first mention of Old Pal appeared in Harry MacElhone’s 1922 book called ABC of Mixing Cocktails, where he credits the editor of the New York Herald, Sparrow Robertson, for the invention of this cocktail.
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