The Sidecar Recipe

Time10m

Serves1

Remy Martin 1738 Cognac, Cointreau, Lemon Juice

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Ingredients

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1
Chill a coupe or martini glass by placing it in the freezer for a few minutes or filling with ice water while you prepare the cocktail.
2
Spread the teaspoon of sugar on a small plate. Take a lemon wedge and run it around the outer rim of the chilled glass (or dampen just the outer rim). Dip the outer rim into the sugar so the sugar adheres. Set glass aside and discard any ice water.

3
Measure and combine
In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz Rémy Martin 1738 Cognac, 1 oz Cointreau, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, and 0.25 oz simple syrup if you prefer a slightly sweeter balance. Adding the syrup is optional — the classic Sidecar is often 2:1:1 (Cognac:Cointreau:lemon) or 2:1:0.75 for a slightly brighter finish.
4
Add ice & shake
Fill the shaker with 4–6 large ice cubes (about 6–8 pieces). Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is very cold to the touch and the cocktail is well chilled and slightly diluted.
5
Double-strain
Remove the chilled glass from the freezer. Double-strain the cocktail into the prepared sugar-rimmed coupe using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to catch any small ice shards or lemon pulp for a silky texture.
6
Garnish & serve
Express a lemon twist over the drink to release essential oils, then either drop the twist into the cocktail or place it on the rim. Alternatively, float a thin lemon wheel on the surface. Serve immediately.