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French 75

Sparkling · Gin · IBA official

French 75

Gin, lemon and champagne – crisp, dry and festive in a flute

Gin, lemon and sugar shaken, then topped with champagne in a flute. Crisp, citrusy and dry, with fine bubbles carrying the gin's botanicals – and more punch than its elegance suggests. A natural for celebrations, brunches and the start of a long dinner.

Make this in 3D
Glass
Champagne flute
Ice
Up (no ice)
Technique
Shaken · Double-strained
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time
3 min
Strength
≈ 14% ABV

Ingredients

Champagne flute
  • 30 mlLondon dry gin1 oz
  • 15 mlFresh lemon juice½ oz
  • 10 mlSimple syrup (1:1)¼ oz
  • 60 mlChampagne (brut)to top2 oz
  • GarnishLemon twist

≈ 144 ml served · 1.6 standard drinks

Substitutes: Fresh lime juice can stand in for Fresh lemon juice. Rich demerara syrup (2:1) can stand in for Simple syrup (1:1). Prosecco can stand in for Champagne (brut).

Method

  1. 1

    Chill a champagne flute.

  2. 2

    Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker.

  3. 3

    Fill with ice and shake for about 10 seconds.

  4. 4

    Double strain into the chilled flute.

  5. 5

    Top slowly with cold champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

Learn it step by step

History

Named after the French 75 mm field gun of the First World War, a nod to its kick. It is often linked to Harry MacElhone and Harry's New York Bar in Paris, though early “75” cocktails were quite different; the gin, lemon and champagne version was in print by the late 1920s and became the standard after The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930).

First recorded
1927

Bartender's notes

  • Tilt the flute and pour the champagne down the side so it doesn't foam over.
  • Cognac in place of gin gives a richer, rounder version, a favourite in New Orleans.
  • Any dry sparkling wine works – choose brut to keep the drink crisp.
SparklingCitrusDryRefreshing

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