Best French Cocktail Types
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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.
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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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Kir Normand is a variation of the famous Kir, made with a combination of crème de cassis, Calvados, and Normandy cider (instead of wine). In order to prepare it, all ingredients should be poured into a flute glass and stirred. This cocktail can be garnished with an apple twist, if desired.
In Normandy, it is usually enjoyed at Christmas and New Year.
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Monkey Gland is a French cocktail made with a combination of gin, orange juice, and a few drops of absinthe and grenadine. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should be shaken, then strained into a chilled cocktail glass. The drink was invented by Harry McElhone, the famous owner of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, and he named it after the 1920s experiments done by Serge Voronoff, who wanted to graft monkey glands to human testicles.
Although the story about this cocktail’s name is truly odd, it makes for great trivia while drinking Monkey Glands with friends.
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Kir Breton is a version of the popular French Kir cocktail, and some say it is even better than regular Kir. It is made with a combination of Calvados, crème de cassis, and chilled dry Breton cider. In order to prepare it, Calvados and crème de cassis should first be poured into a champagne flute, followed by cider, which should be slowly poured into the flute as it froths a bit.
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Soupe Angevine is a French cocktail that combines sparkling wine, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and Cointreau. Often classified as a punch, the cocktail is usually made in a large punch bowl. All the ingredients, except sparkling wine, are added to the bowl and mixed.
Sparkling wine is added next, and the combination is mixed before adding ice. The cocktail is poured into glasses using a ladle. Traditionally, it is served in a flute, and it is usually garnished with citrus slices or citrus zest. This cocktail is mostly made with Crémant de Loire, regional sparkling wine with a fresh and crisp character.
White Negroni is a cocktail that combines gin, Lillet, and Suze. As the name suggests, it was inspired by the great Negroni, a cocktail made with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. This white version is made with equal parts of gin, Suze, and Lillet, though some versions use less Suze.
The ingredients are poured in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice and are then stirred. White Negroni originated in France. The story says that a British bartender Wayne Collins could not find Campari and sweet vermouth, so he opted to use Suze (liqueur) and Lillet (a fortified wine), two classic French aperitifs.
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Rose is a cocktail made with kirsch, dry vermouth, and strawberry syrup. All ingredients should be stirred with ice, then strained into a cocktail glass. The cocktail can sometimes be garnished with a single Maraschino cherry. It is believed that Rose was invented in the 1920s by Johnny Mitta, a barman at the Chatham Hotel.
A recipe for this cocktail can even be found in a 1927 book written by the famous Harry McElhone.
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