The Alexander cocktail perfectly combines moderate sweetness and chocolate-milk aftertaste with light notes of cognac. This is the rare case when an alcoholic cocktail is liked by both men and women.
Until 2012, in the international codification of bartenders, the cocktail was called Brandy Alexander (Brandy Alexander) or Alexander No. 2, because the official list included another cocktail with the name Alexander, which was prepared on the basis of gin and white cocoa liqueur with cream. But over time, Brandy Alexander has become much more popular than its predecessor, so now it is he who is considered classic.
Composition and proportions:
- cognac (brandy) – 30 ml;
- brown cocoa liqueur (Créme de Cacao) – 30 ml;
- cream (fat content 20%) – 30 ml;
- ice cubes – 200 grams;
- nutmeg – 1 pinch (for decoration).
It is better not to save on the quality of cognac, cheap Russian brands are not the right choice. Apart from nutmeg, other decorations such as cherries or citrus wedges are not used as they are considered to spoil the look.
Classic cocktail recipe Alexander
1. Fill a shaker 2/3 with ice. Add cognac, liqueur and cream.
2. Mix vigorously until the shaker freezes.
3. Pour the mixture through a strainer (strainer) into a pre-chilled glass (cocktail glass).
4. Sprinkle with nutmeg on top for garnish. You can drink through a straw.
Historical information
The first written mention of a cocktail with the name “Alexander” dates back to 1915 – the recipe was published in Hugo Enslin’s book “Recipes for Mixed Drinks”. But it was a drink with gin, white Créme de Cacao and cream. In 1916, the same recipe was published in the magazine for owners and tenants of New York Barkeeper bars, after which the cocktail began to gain popularity.
The distribution of “Alexander” was facilitated by the poor quality of American gin in the 20-30s of the XX century. The sweet cream liqueur masked this deficiency. As a result, visitors liked everything, and the owners of the establishments received a good profit by saving on gin.
The Brandy Alexander cocktail appeared in the 20s in America during Prohibition. The drink was served in a well-known underground bar where the highest members of society used to go. One of the regular visitors was the literary critic Alexander Wuttock, after whom the cocktail is supposedly named. The first written mention of the recipe appeared in 1922 in Harry McKelhon’s book ABC Cocktails.
Interestingly, one of the nicknames of “Alexander” is “Milkshake”, as John Lennon called him, who became interested in this cocktail during the “lost weekend” with Yoko Ono in 73-74.