Velvety, chocolatey and just sweet enough, with a dusting of fresh nutmeg that makes the whole drink smell like the holidays. Cognac keeps it from tipping into dessert territory entirely. It is the classic answer to the question of what to drink instead of pudding.
4.3Editors’ rating
Taste4.4
Balance4.3
Easy to make4.2
Popularity70
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Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg · Ice: Served up, no ice
Method
Chill a cocktail glass or coupe.
Add cognac, dark crème de cacao and cream to a shaker with plenty of ice.
Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds.
Double strain into the chilled glass.
Grate fresh nutmeg over the top.
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Watch it made
Brandy Alexander
Taste
Rich and smooth, with dark chocolate, vanilla and the dried-fruit warmth of cognac, finished with fragrant nutmeg. Creamy, medium strength and sweet.
History and origin
The Alexander family began with gin, not brandy. A gin, crème de cacao and cream Alexander appears in Hugo Ensslin's 1916 book Recipes for Mixed Drinks. One popular story ties it to a bartender named Troy Alexander at Rector's in New York, who is said to have created a white drink for a railway advertising campaign; another links the brandy version to the 1922 wedding of Princess Mary in London. Neither is firmly documented.
By the 1930s brandy had become the usual base, and the Brandy Alexander grew into one of the best-known after-dinner drinks of the twentieth century. The IBA lists the Alexander with cognac among its Unforgettables.
Bartender tips
Use fresh cream with 30 to 35 % fat; single or light cream makes a thin, watery drink.
Always grate the nutmeg fresh: pre-ground nutmeg has little aroma.
For a lighter drink, reduce the crème de cacao to 20 ml and add 10 ml more cognac.
