7 Best Cognac Cocktails (The Most Underused Cocktail Spirit)
Recipes · 2026-08-10 · 10 min read · by Jake
Cognac is the most underused cocktail spirit. People think of it as something old men sip by a fireplace, but it was actually the base spirit for most cocktails before Prohibition. The Sidecar, Sazerac (originally), and dozens of classics were made with cognac before whiskey took over.
If you like bourbon cocktails, you'll probably love cognac cocktails. They share similar flavor profiles — vanilla, caramel, dried fruit — but cognac adds grape-based elegance and a lighter body.
Sidecar
The Sidecar is cognac's signature cocktail — cognac, Cointreau, and fresh lemon juice. It's essentially a Margarita made with cognac instead of tequila and lemon instead of lime.
2 oz cognac, 1 oz Cointreau, 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice. Shake with ice, strain into a sugar-rimmed coupe. The sugar rim is traditional and balances the tartness.
Use VS or VSOP cognac for mixing — don't waste XO in a shaken cocktail. Remy Martin VSOP or Pierre Ferrand 1840 are both excellent cocktail cognacs.
French 75 (Cognac Version)
The original French 75 was made with cognac, not gin. 1.5 oz cognac, 3/4 oz lemon juice, half an ounce simple syrup, top with Champagne. Richer and more warming than the gin version.
This is the version to make for special occasions. The cognac adds depth that gin doesn't, and it pairs beautifully with the bubbles.
Vieux Carre
A New Orleans classic: equal parts rye whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth, with Benedictine and bitters. It's like a Manhattan and a Sidecar had a sophisticated baby.
3/4 oz rye, 3/4 oz cognac, 3/4 oz sweet vermouth, barspoon Benedictine, 1 dash Angostura, 1 dash Peychaud's. Stir with ice, strain over a large cube. Lemon twist.
This is a bartender's cocktail — complex, spirit-forward, and deeply satisfying. If you like Manhattans and Sazeracs, the Vieux Carre is your next drink.
Brandy Alexander
The after-dinner classic: cognac, dark creme de cacao, and heavy cream. It's a dessert cocktail that tastes like a chocolate truffle in liquid form.
1.5 oz cognac, 1 oz dark creme de cacao, 1 oz heavy cream. Shake hard with ice, strain into a coupe. Fresh nutmeg grated on top.
This is unabashedly rich and indulgent. Perfect as a nightcap or dessert replacement. Not for calorie counters.
Sazerac (Original Recipe)
The Sazerac was originally made with cognac before rye whiskey became the standard. Try it with cognac for a softer, fruitier version of this New Orleans classic.
Rinse a chilled glass with absinthe. In a mixing glass: muddle a sugar cube with Peychaud's bitters, add 2 oz cognac, stir with ice. Strain into the prepared glass. Lemon peel expressed and discarded.
Between the Sheets
Cognac, rum, Cointreau, and lemon juice. It's a Sidecar with rum added — stronger, more complex, and deceptively smooth for its alcohol content.
1 oz cognac, 1 oz white rum, 1 oz Cointreau, 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice. Shake with ice, strain into a coupe. Lemon twist.
The name comes from the idea that this drink will put you to bed. It's deceptively strong — the Cointreau and lemon mask the alcohol from two full spirits.
Cognac Buying Guide for Cocktails
VS (Very Special): Aged minimum 2 years. Fine for cocktails where cognac is mixed with citrus or cream. Pierre Ferrand 1840 ($35) was literally designed for cocktails.
VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale): Aged minimum 4 years. The sweet spot for cocktails — enough complexity to shine through mixers but not so expensive you feel guilty shaking it. Remy Martin VSOP ($40) or Courvoisier VSOP ($35).
XO (Extra Old): Aged minimum 10 years. Sip this neat. Don't put it in cocktails. Seriously.