Let’s look into the French 75. A champagne cocktail associated with the trials and tribulations of World War 1. Named after the French 75mm howitzer gun and aptly so, as the drink kicks like a gun.

The French 75 was created in the famous Harry’s New York Bar in Paris and likely drunk by a number of the famous faces which were known to visit. A list which includes the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel, Humphrey Bogart, Daft Punk and even the former King Edward VIII. We highly recommend you check this place out if you’re ever in Paris. It has a really engaging old world feel, that makes you feel like you were an ex-pat author trying to hammer out the next great American novel over a few cocktails.

We tried the French 75 when we visited and they add a touch of absinthe. This isn’t included in our recipes as it can be a bit hard to locate and it is certainly a lot more boozy than the French 75 recipe listed below. However, it’s well worth a go if you’re at Harry’s New York Bar. The touch of aniseed provides an interesting taste profile and just ramps up the warming sensation of the alcohol. The French 75 is a great cocktail to go to if you’re braving the cold Paris weather in the winter time.

Ingredients Required To Make A French 75 Champagne Cocktail

• 25ml of dry London gin
• 12.5ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 12.5ml of simple syrup, (if you’re unsure how to make simple syrup, then a recipe for it is available here)
• 75ml of Champagne (or other sparkling wine of your choice)
• Garnish: lemon twist

How To Make A French 75 Champagne Cocktail

1. Firstly, add the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and ice to a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake well until it’s thoroughly chilled. The cocktail shaker should be cold to touch.
3. Afterwards, strain into a Champagne glass – a flute or a coupe works fine.
4. Top up the glass with Champagne.
5. Finally, garnish with a twist of lemon. If you’re wondering how to twist a lemon, (or any citrus fruit), then you can find out here.
6. Enjoy a perfect French 75 Champagne Cocktail!

French 75 Tasting Notes

As we’ve said, this Champagne cocktail possesses a kick. In this instance, it’s a kick I’m happy to take. The kick is the combination of the warming gin and the deeply acidic fresh lemon juice. However, it doesn’t feel out of place or unbalanced. Indeed, the dryness of the gin balances itself nicely with the sharp acidity of the lemon. This combination of crisp dryness and acidity makes the fruit from the Champagne a perfect accompaniment. It’s a wonderful cocktail and we highly recommend you give the French 75 a go!

The French 75 is a great Champagne cocktail. However, there are a number of other great options available if you’re looking to expand your Champagne cocktail repertoire. If you’re looking for other Champagne cocktails to try this festive season, then read our article here. As well as full breakdowns of both a ‘Champagne Cocktail’ and a ‘Kir Royale’.

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