Papi's 95: The remixed French 75 that you should have at the day party
Really, you could have this cocktail wherever and whenever you please, but I'd recommend sipping this one when the sun's up.
The French 75 is a cool drink.
It's so cool that the drink's history doesn't dictate which spirit you should use: A classy gin or a Cognac paying homage to its homeland.
Once your selection is made, grab some simple syrup, lemon juice, ice and Champagne, and you've got a French 75.
But it's more than just the ingredients. The color is vibrant, with flashes of gold, orange and yellow. It's bubbly and crackles like Rice Krispies in the bowl. The garnish is necessary, a nice fat lemon peel so that you can be extravagant and bougie with it.
Here's the thing, though -- you can absolutely make this drink with bourbon.
A French 95 is a more potent version of its cousin the 75s. Substitute the bourbon for the gin or cognac and swap out the lemon peel garnish for an orange peel, and you're good to go.
And yet — I think I might've made it even better.
Papi's 95 remixes the French 95 while tapping into my Latino roots and fondness for bourbon. The secret ingredient is the agave syrup, which I swapped for the simple syrup for two reasons:
Agave syrup is thicker than simple syrup, and it holds up better against the punch of a higher-quality bourbon.
It's an excuse to use "Papi" in a drink. (Cue up Jay Z's "Hey Papi")
This drink ticks all the boxes for me. It's less than five ingredients (four), it's effortless to make and it's undeniably delicious, especially as a day drink — because most day drinks aren’t that good. Plus, I love serving this drink to the fellas. Why? Because when you pour over the Champagne in a wine glass and hand it to them, skepticism always cascades over their faces.
"Bruh, what dainty ass drink you got me out here drinking?" — One of the homies.
Then they sip it and usually say something to the effect of, "Oh shit. My bad. I won't disrespect you again on the drinks." (I might be paraphrasing, but whatever.)
The dirty little secret of this cocktail is its versatility. Want to try it with tequila? Go for it. Vodka? Sure. Want to add absinthe? Why not! Difford’s has a great French 75 breakdown of variations worth experimenting on, try them out if you’re up for it.
But for now, listen to Whiskey Papi (that’s me) and try his 95. De nada.
Recipe: Papi’s 95 (The remixed French 95)
Serve:Â Collins, coupe or a wine glass
Garnish:Â Orange wedge
Ingredients:
0.75 oz — Old Forester 86 (Any bourbon will suffice, although I’d recommend using one that’s higher than 80 proof)
0.5 oz — Lemon juice
0.5 oz — Agave syrup (Could go to 0.75 oz if using a light agave syrup)
4 oz — Sparkling wine or Champagne (for topping)
Make:Â Place the bourbon, lemon juice and agave syrup in a mixing glass filled with ice and stir. (Shaking this is optional, but I prefer stirred.) Strain into a glass and top with sparkling wine or Champagne. Express the strip of orange peel over the glass, then drop it on top of the cocktail.