French 125 (1977 recipe)
A citrus, refreshing and bubbly cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 11.7% ABV ∙
The French 125 (1977 recipe) is a French 75 made with Cognac: Cognac, lemon and sugar shaken, strained over ice and topped with dry sparkling wine.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- In the base of the shaker, stir until the sugar dissolves: Powdered sugar 3 bspLemon juice 30 ml
- Add Cognac 45 ml
- Shake with ice and strain into the ice-filled glass
- Top with Dry sparkling wine and lightly stir
- Garnish with a lemon twist
Tips
- Stir the powdered sugar into the lemon juice until fully dissolved before adding the Cognac and ice; it dissolves far more slowly once the mix is cold.
History
French 125 is a cognac-based twist on the French 75, first published under that name in Jones' Complete Barguide, a 1977 bar manual by Stanley M. Jones. Where the French 75 calls for gin, Jones's version substitutes cognac for the base spirit while keeping the lemon juice, sugar, and champagne, and the recipe was originally built long over ice rather than served up. The name follows the same joke as its parent: the French 75 was tagged with the caliber of the French 75mm field gun used by the French army in World War I. The cognac variant's name is supposedly a nod to another, larger-caliber gun.
FAQ
How do you make a French 125?
Stir the powdered sugar into the fresh lemon juice in the shaker until it fully dissolves; it dissolves far more slowly once cold. Add the Cognac, shake with ice, and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with dry sparkling wine, stir lightly, and garnish with a lemon twist.
What is a French 125?
A French 75 made with Cognac instead of gin, served long over ice and topped with sparkling wine. It was first published under that name in Stanley M. Jones's 1977 Jones' Complete Barguide. At about 11.7% ABV, it is lighter than a spirit-forward cocktail.
What's in a French 125?
30 ml fresh lemon juice, 3 bar spoons of powdered sugar, 45 ml Cognac, and 90 ml dry sparkling wine.
Is a French 125 shaken or stirred?
Both. The Cognac, lemon, and sugar are shaken with ice; the sparkling wine goes on top with only a light stir so it keeps its fizz.
What glass is a French 125 served in?
A highball glass, over ice, garnished with a lemon twist.
