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There’s one drink that stands out for its rich, creamy taste and elegant appearance: the Brandy Alexander. This co*cktail mixes the warmth of brandy with the smooth sweetness of cream and a hint of chocolate from the cacao, creating a luxurious treat that’s perfect for ending your day or celebrating special moments.
Tasting Notes
The Brandy Alexander is a delightful blend of flavors. Each sip brings a creamy texture that coats your mouth, followed by the warm, robust notes of brandy. The chocolate adds a sweet, luxurious depth, making this drink feel like a dessert in a glass. It’s balanced, not too sweet, and has a gentle kick from the alcohol that warms you up from the inside.
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz Brandy
1 oz Dark crème de cacao
1 oz Heavy cream
Grated nutmeg (for garnish)
Instructions
Fill a shaker with ice cubes.
Pour the brandy, dark crème de cacao, and heavy cream into the shaker.
Shake well until the outside of the shaker feels cold.
Strain the mixture into a chilled co*cktail glass.
If you love the Brandy Alexander, here are five similar co*cktails to explore:
White Russian – Swap the brandy for vodka and omit the crème de cacao for a coffee-flavored creaminess.
Mudslide – A more indulgent, ice cream-like version with vodka, coffee liqueur, and Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Chocolate Martini – For chocolate lovers, this vodka-based co*cktail doubles down on the chocolate.
Golden Cadillac – A similar creamy texture but with Galliano and white crème de cacao for a unique flavor.
Grasshopper – Swap the brandy for green crème de menthe for a minty, chocolate treat.
History
The Brandy Alexander has a rich history, tracing back to the early 20th century. It’s believed to have evolved from an earlier co*cktail called the Alexander, which used gin instead of brandy. The switch to brandy made the drink smoother and richer, and it quickly became a favorite in sophisticated bars and clubs around the world. It’s even said to have been a favorite of John Lennon.
Brandy Alexander
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Prep Time: 5 minutesminutes
Total Time: 5 minutesminutes
5 from 2 votes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brandy, Brandy Alexander, Cognac, creamy, creme de cacao
Sip on the luxurious Brandy Alexander, a creamy blend of brandy, dark crème de cacao, and heavy cream, garnished with nutmeg. A timeless classic.
Ingredients
1 1/2ozbrandy
1ozdark crème de cacao
1ozheavy cream
Grated nutmegfor garnish
See also Top 7 French Brandies to Try
Instructions
Fill a co*cktail shaker with ice
Add the brandy, dark crème de cacao, and heavy cream to the shaker.
Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
Strain the mixture into a chilled co*cktail glass or coupe glass.
Garnish with a sprinkle of grated nutmeg.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let us know how it was!
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brandycognacdark crème de cacaoheavy cream
Written by Paul Kushner
Founder and CEO of MyBartender. Graduated from Penn State University. He always had a deep interest in the restaurant and bar industry. His restaurant experience began in 1997 at the age of 14 as a bus boy. By the time he turned 17 he was serving tables, and by 19 he was bartending/bar managing 6-7 nights a week.
In 2012, after a decade and a half of learning all facets of the industry, Paul opened his first restaurant/bar. In 2015, a second location followed, the latter being featured on The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Though most aged grape-based brandies will work just fine in brandy Alexander, for the classic variation, you'll want to use a Cognac with mellow oak notes. Pierre Ferrand 1840 works beautifully in most co*cktails, and Martell V.S. or Deau V.S. are also solid options in the $20 to $40 range.
The Brandy Alexander is a creamy dessert co*cktail made with equal parts brandy (often cognac), crème de cacao, and cream. It's served in a co*cktail glass (though a coupe glass or Martini glass will do) and topped with a dusting of ground or grated nutmeg.
The drink was possibly named after Troy Alexander, a bartender at Rector's, a New York City restaurant, who created the drink in order to serve a white drink at a dinner celebrating Phoebe Snow, a character in a popular advertising campaign in the early 20th century.
“If you use a good, dry cognac, and a good crème de cacao, the Brandy Alexander is a very satisfying after-dinner quaff with a distinct spiritous edge,” Simonson writes. He offers a recipe for the Brandy Alexander and another for its suburban relation, the White Russian, which combines vodka, Kahlua and cream.
Armagnac: Armagnac is a popular style of French brandy distilled in the Armagnac region Gascony, Southwestern France. It's similar to cognac, but since it is produced in a different region with different traditions, has a different protected name.
Steps. Add cognac, dark creme de cacao and cream into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled co*cktail glass or a coupe glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
Examples of brandy include pisco, armagnac or Obstler (a brandy produced in Austria and Switzerland). Cognac, however, is always made with grapes and has a very specific distillation and blending process located in a small, protected area in the southwest of France. considered as brandy, but not all brandy is cognac.”
B&B is a classic co*cktail that combines the rich, creamy flavors of Bailey's Irish Cream with the robust and bold taste of brandy. This decadent drink originated in the 1970s ... more. This decadent drink originated in the 1970s as a nod to the popular brandy and Benedictine co*cktail known as the B&B.
This drink is about chocolate and cream, and doesn't really bother with much else. Brandy makes a brief appearance at the end, and nutmeg is awesome as usual, but the priorities of this recipe are clear. On the nose, it offers a decadent whiff of nutmeg and chocolate.
Chocolate syrup is a straightforward non-alcoholic alternative to crème de cacao that provides a rich chocolate flavor and the necessary sweetness. For co*cktails or desserts that call for crème de cacao, one can use: Chocolate syrup: 1:1 ratio for sweetness and chocolate taste.
In 2008, the state of Louisiana passed legislation that made the Sazerac co*cktail the official co*cktail of New Orleans. It’s a fitting tribute to the drink that arguably started the co*cktail movement throughout the United States.
Brandy Alexander is a co*cktail perfect for serving when you're hosting a party. This rich, creamy co*cktail is also comforting when you want to spend a quiet evening at home. This tantalizing drink is best enjoyed after dinner as a digestif.
The Black Russian is the big brother of the equally famous White Russian. It's a simple yet tasty drink, combining Kahlúa coffee liqueur and vodka in a truly unforgettable way.
Hors d'Age is widely considered the highest quality Cognac. This will have been aged, usually for more than 30 years but in many instances, it is difficult to tell the exact age of Cognacs in this classification as they have been around for so long.
Cognac VS (2 years old) and VSOP (4 years old) are fresh and powerful. The oldest cognacs (XO, XXO) are smoother with much more complex aromas. Each cru gives a specific taste depending on the soil and the environment where the grapes grew.
Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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