Method
Shake:
- Combine gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake for 10 seconds until cold.
Build:
- Strain into a chilled champagne flute.
- Top with about 3 oz of cold champagne or sparkling wine.
Garnish:
- Express a lemon twist over the glass and drop it in.
Nutrition
Notes
The drink was originally made with cognac, not gin. Gin became standard in the 1920s after Harry McElhone codified the recipe at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. Both are correct.
Use real champagne if you can. Prosecco works for everyday and is half the price. Cava is fine. Cheap supermarket sparkling wine is a downgrade — the bubbles are aggressive and the finish is sharp.
Do not stir vigorously after adding the champagne. You knock the bubbles flat. A gentle swirl is all it needs.