French 125
Cognac, lemon, sugar and Champagne. The French 75 on brandy — which, the argument goes, is what the original was anyway.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a flute or coupe.
Add the cognac, lemon juice and syrup to a shaker, fill with ice, and shake for 8 seconds.
Strain into the chilled glass.
Top with cold Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.
A thoughtful finish
- A VS cognac is right; the wine hides anything older.
- Brut Champagne or a dry crémant; the syrup is the only sugar the drink needs.
- Pour the wine gently and do not stir.
Common mistakes
- Shaking the Champagne.
- A sweet sparkling wine.
- Too much cognac; an ounce is the balance against three of wine.
A few good questions.
What is the difference between a French 125 and a French 75?
Cognac in place of gin. Otherwise identical.
Is the brandy version the original?
Both existed in the 1920s. The gin version became the standard; New Orleans kept the brandy one.
Why 125?
A joke on the gun — a bigger calibre for a richer drink.
Up or long?
Either. A flute is the classic; a collins glass with ice makes a longer, lighter drink.
Variations
- French 75 — Gin, lemon, sugar and Champagne.
- French 76 — Vodka in place of gin.
- Sidecar — Cognac, orange liqueur and lemon.
- Champagne Cocktail — Champagne over a bitters-soaked sugar cube.
Where it comes from
c. 1980s (name); 1920s (brandy 75) · France and the United States
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
The French 75 of the 1920s was sometimes made with cognac rather than gin — Harry MacElhone’s 1927 version is gin, but Judge Jr.’s 1927 Here’s How and later American books use brandy — and the brandy version never quite went away in New Orleans, where Arnaud’s French 75 Bar makes it with cognac to this day. The name French 125 is a 1980s joke, the bigger gun, for the richer drink; nobody claims it. It is a Champagne sour on brandy, rounder and warmer than the gin version, and in winter the better of the two.
Sources
- Judge Jr., Here's How, 1927 (book)
- David Wondrich, Imbibe!, 2015 (book)
- Difford's Guide, French 125, 2015 (reference)
Strength. About 1.27 US standard drinks at an estimated 12.2% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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