Bring the lights and romance of Parisian streets home with the Champs-Élysées cocktail.
It’s a wistful idea, filled with adventure and romance. Being a writer, that is. Scribbling down witty observations, or dreaming up fanciful visions, all while commenting on the human condition. Maybe living somewhere on the avenues of Paris, perhaps, blissfully adrift in a bohemian lifestyle. The music, scents and warm summer breeze of a Parisian night can inspire anyone.
And romantic ideas need the proper libation to accompany them. Tonight’s cocktail fills the bill. The Champs-Élysées is an elegant and sophisticated relative of the Sidecar, but in this instance uses green Chartreuse instead of Cointreau or Grand Marnier. First appearing sometime in the early 1920s, the Champs-Élysées grew popular in Europe, while Americans were still sneaking around in their speakeasies.
While there isn’t a person’s name or a specific bar associated with the creation of this drink, it did make enough waves upon its arrival to appear in recipe books, such as Harry Craddock’s The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. The inventor of the Champs-Élysées may forever be a mystery, but thankfully, the recipe for this delectable elixir isn’t.
What is the best alcohol to use in a Champs-Élysées cocktail?
While Hennessy is one of the more well-known brands, some might turn their nose up at it as being somewhat “common”. There’s a reason why it’s that widely available and on the shelves of many home bars. It has a balanced sweetness, touched with a tinge of spice and complex fruity notes that pair nicely with the bitter, citrusy and woodsy infusions found in the green Chartreuse. Hennessy is a great starting point for those unfamiliar with the French brandy, but Rémy Martin, Courvoisier, and Martell are also excellent to begin exploring with.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces cognac
- 1/2 ounce Green Chartreuse
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- 1 lemon twist for garnish
Instructions
- Add the cognac, Green Chartreuse, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and aromatic bitters into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake well and fine strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass.
- Express a lemon twist over the drink and drop it in as garnish.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
Chill a coupe in your freezer for up to 30 minutes before serving to achieve an extra crisp and cold sipping experience. Once your drink is poured in, express the oils from a lemon peel over it and garnish with the twist on the rim.
What is the difference between cognac and brandy?
The simplest explanation is that cognac is brandy, but specific to the Cognac region in France, where it is produced using white grapes. Brandy, on the other hand, can be made from a wide array of fruit juices and can be produced anywhere in the world.
Similar cocktails to the Champs-Élysées
If cognac is still making you scratch your head, or you’re just so new to the spirit that you have no clue where to begin with the drinks you can make, let Twist & Toast ease some of that stress. Below are a handful of easy and delicious tipples that you can mix up for yourself with that newly acquired bottle of cognac.
- Corpse Reviver No. 1 – Cognac, Calvados and sweet vermouth craft this wicked-sounding potion.
- Hennessy Sidecar – A classic crafted with Cointreau and the stalwart, reliable cognac.
- Between the Sheets Cocktail – Rum, cognac and triple sec meet under suggestive circumstances.
- Stinger – Cognac and white crème de menthe combine for an extra refreshing sip.
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