Cocktail · Medium strength
Alexander
Cognac, crème de cacao, cream, nutmeg — velvet's drinkable form.
How to order it: The brandy version outlived the gin original. Fresh nutmeg over the top.
Flavor profile
The recipe
- 1½ oz cognac
- 1 oz dark crème de cacao
- 1 oz heavy cream
- Shake; strain into a coupe
- Fresh grated nutmeg
The story
The Alexander began as a gin drink, appearing in Hugo Ensslin's 1916 Recipes for Mixed Drinks, before brandy staged its takeover and the cognac version became the standard. Its origin is contested, with legends involving a New York bartender named Troy Alexander and a railroad advertising dinner, none firmly documented. Its most famous devotee was John Lennon, who drank Brandy Alexanders, which he likened to milkshakes, during his mid-1970s Lost Weekend in Los Angeles. It endures as the after-dinner drink that needs no dessert menu: cognac, creme de cacao, and cream under grated nutmeg, velvet with a measurable proof.
Adjacent pours