Before the Sidecar and the Margarita, there was the Daisy: spirit, lemon, a little orange liqueur and sugar, finished with a splash of fizz. The brandy version is bright and fruity, with a whisper of funky rum underneath. Serve it very cold, and drink it while the soda still sparkles.
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Add brandy, lemon juice, orange curaçao, simple syrup and rum to a shaker with ice.
Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Strain into the chilled glass.
Top with a splash of soda water and garnish with a lemon twist.
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Brandy Daisy
Taste
Bright and tart, with fresh lemon, orange peel and the ripe fruit of brandy, a hint of rum spice and a light sparkle. Medium strength and refreshing.
History and origin
The Daisy is one of the older families of mixed drinks. The Brandy Daisy is recorded in the 1876 edition of Jerry Thomas's bar guide, which describes a mix of brandy, lemon juice, gum syrup, orange cordial and a little rum, lengthened with seltzer. Over the following decades the recipe changed a lot: later bartenders sweetened Daisies with grenadine, raspberry syrup or yellow Chartreuse instead.
The Daisy family matters because it led to some of the most famous cocktails of the twentieth century. The Sidecar is a close relative, and many historians see the Margarita, whose name means daisy in Spanish, as a tequila Daisy.
Bartender tips
Orange curaçao, such as a dry curaçao, gives more depth than a generic triple sec.
Add the soda only at the end, and only a splash: the Daisy is a short drink, not a highball.
Two dashes of Jamaican rum add a subtle, funky richness; do not skip them.
Variations
Grenadine Daisy
Replace the simple syrup with grenadine, as in many early twentieth-century recipes.
Chartreuse Daisy
Swap the curaçao for yellow Chartreuse for a honeyed, herbal version.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Daisy cocktail?
A nineteenth-century family of drinks made with a spirit, lemon juice, a sweetener or liqueur and a splash of soda.
What is the difference between a Brandy Daisy and a Sidecar?
The Sidecar has more orange liqueur and no soda or rum; the Daisy is sweetened mainly with syrup and finished with fizz.
Is the Margarita a Daisy?
Many historians think so: margarita is Spanish for daisy, and the drink follows the same spirit, citrus and orange liqueur pattern.
