The brandy category keeps getting better and better, just as bartenders continue to devise new ways of mixing the spirit into cocktails. There’s never a bad time for brandy, but winter is an especially perfect time to incorporate it into your glass.
The Banana Alexander at Holeman and Finch in Atlanta is a fun tropical riff on the classic Brandy Alexander recipe.
Named after a Tom Waits album, a full-bodied brandy and a strong, smoky mezcal make this drink sing.
A holiday classic via Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge.
The Brandy Crusta was originally made with Cognac but can also be made with brandy, bourbon or rye whiskey.
The Brandy Milk Punch recipe has long been a holiday staple in Louisiana, thanks to the New Orleans restaurants run by the Brennan’s.
Cognac, chinato and walnut liqueur combine into a smooth, luxurious cocktail.
Calvados amplifies the fruity side of aged brandy in this twist on the classic Sidecar cocktail.
This riff on a 19th-century classic gets a boost with the addition of lemon juice and Peychaud’s bitters.
A blend of citrus and elderflower contrasts the warming flavors of brandy and honey in this sparkling cocktail.
California brandy’s richness is countered by gin’s spark in this adaptation of a classic cocktail.
A cousin to the Vieux Carré, this rich Ozymandias cocktail demonstrates brandy’s cozy relationship with rye whiskey.
Brandy, rum and black tea syrup create a wintry trio of flavors.
Daniel Parker Guidry drew inspiration for this simple sidra cocktail from a 1920s recipe.
The muddled Old Fashioned is often maligned, but Jim Meehan’s brandy-based version, Tall Boxes, may change your mind.
A riff on the Brooklyn cocktail from PDT.
Raspberry and pomegranate bring an undercurrent of berries to a duo of aged spirits in the Waldorf Gloom-Lifter cocktail.
