Club Cocktail recipe

When we say grape juice, what do you think? Wine? Yeah, so did we. But grapes are a fruit full of potential – just check out brandy. Starting similar to wine, but distilled instead (superficially speaking), brandy has a life of its own. And the Club Cocktail gets that. Like, really gets that. Soaking up all the juice with two very different brandies, this cocktail shows off grapes in a different tropical-tasting space.

Technically speaking, brandy can be made from any fruit juice, but this cocktail uses some great grape work – Cognac and pisco. Yeah, that’s a big capital C for the brandy named after its French home town, aged to develop the notes it’s famous for: candied fruits, vanilla, cinnamon and apricot. On the other hand, unlike its French affiliate, the Peruvian liquor (which is technically a brandy) isn’t aged. By skipping the barrel-time, pisco is bright and tastes most like grapes with herbal, earthy flavours, similar to that of tequila. They combine in a textbook case of opposites attract.

Now, if you haven’t enjoyed much brandy before, pairing it with pineapple juice will give it new life. The bursting sweet and tangy pineapple balances with the rich brandy base to create a cocktail that toes all the right lines of sweet and warming, tangy and fresh. A final dash of bitters makes this a grape club we’d definitely want to join.

The bitters here are important, particularly Peychaud’s bitters. Mostly known as the crown jewel of the Sazerac, this anise and cherry-forward bitters fits nicely for its lighter and sweeter touch (compared to Angostura). If you can’t find it, or would prefer a bitters with a less licorice edge, orange bitters would work equally well.

Onto the juicy bits; literally. Brandy appreciates sweet tangy team mates, so if you can source fresh pineapple juice, that will always go down best. Alternatively, freshly squeezed orange juice will make a perfect substitute with its similar bright and sunny deposition.

And now that you’re a brandy connoisseur, make the Pisco Sour and Brandy Crusta your next drinks to master.