The Best Brandy Cocktails to Mix Up Tonight

Brandy is often overlooked but certainly deserves a spot on the bar cart! This smooth, slightly fruity spirit stands strong in classic recipes and modern takes that you’ll love.

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Your ultimate guide to brandy cocktails

Brandy is a classic spirit that tends to get overlooked these days, but these recipes are a reminder of why it deserves a permanent spot on the bar cart ^*.

My grandfather loved it — he always had a bottle on hand for a nightcap, neat. Honestly, I found brandy intimidating for a long time, making me avoid it. The truth is it’s a complex spirit with many types and age ratings, and I wasn’t really sure how to shop for it, let alone enjoy it.

Now that I’ve moved past the hesitation, I’ve found it to be such a beautiful addition to my drinks. With quiet sophistication, whether you’re making a classic cocktail or something a little more creative, brandy delivers every time.

How to choose a brandy

Brandy is a distilled fruit wine aged in French oak barrels. Most commonly it is made from grapes, but can be made from apples, pears and other fruits. It is often interchanged with whiskey or aged rum in drink recipes, which often yields similar results, but these are very distinct spirits from how they are made to how they taste. Brandy has a fruit base, whereas whiskey is made from grapes and aged rum is made from sugar cane.

Brandy differs in production and flavor depending on where it is from. It can be made with different fruits and goes through different methods of distillation and aging. For which is the best depends entirely on your budget and the flavor you’re going for. Both cognac and American brandy will use the age readings (get to know those here) — let those guide you in choosing a bottle. The older it is, the stronger and more robust the flavor.

Don’t miss Brandy 101 where you can learn more about which bottles to buy.

Brandy 101

Two Brandy Alexanders on a silver tray with nuts.

What to mix with brandy

While you can certainly sip brandy straight, it’s also a starring ingredient in plenty of drinks.

Because champagne and Cognac both hail from France, it is not uncommon to pair them. It’s also found in many New Orleans drinks thanks to those French roots. With a level of sweetness, brandy works well in dessert drinks and can step in for whiskey, giving a drink a lighter, fruitier flavor. And when it comes to a party punch, like sangria, brandy’s fruity base makes it a natural fit with the rest of the flavors.

In general, brandy can pair with plenty of flavors. From fruity to bold to bubbly, even bright citrus brings out the best in this spirit! Do some taste-testing to find out what you like best.

The best brandy cocktails

Whether you’re already a brandy fan or are still searching for your new favorite sipper, give one of these recipes a try and see how brandy shines!

Two ribbed glasses of amber liquid with skewered cherries on a silver tray.

Brandy Old-Fashioned

The Brandy Old-Fashioned follows the same elegant logic as the original — bitters, sugar and a citrus twist — but swaps bourbon for brandy, landing somewhere richer and a little more fruit-forward. It's smooth, warming and endlessly customizable depending on the brandy and bitters you reach for. Once you try it this way, going back to bourbon feels like a step in another direction.

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Two cocktails with skewered cherries in coupe glasses on a gold tray.

Brandy Manhattan

Softer and slightly sweeter than the classic, the Brandy Manhattan trades rye for cognac and arrives somewhere between elegant and deeply comfortable. Rich stone fruit notes from the brandy play beautifully against sweet vermouth and bitters, giving it a warmth that feels right for a nightcap or a special occasion. Stir it until cold, strain it into a chilled glass and don't rush it — this one's meant to be sipped slowly.

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A glass with an amber cocktail, large ice cube, and a skewer with a dark cherry, against a white background.

Vieux Carré Cocktail

Born in New Orleans at the storied Carousel Bar, the Vieux Carré blends brandy, rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and Bénédictine into something deeply complex and quietly sophisticated. Warm spice, dried fruit and herbal notes unfold slowly with every sip. Order one in the French Quarter and you'll understand why it never left the menu.

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Milk Punch

Creamy, lightly sweet and subtly spiced, Milk Punch is the kind of cocktail that surprises people the first time they try it — richer than it looks and more interesting than the name suggests. Brandy blends beautifully with milk, vanilla and a dusting of nutmeg into something that works equally well at a holiday brunch or a quiet evening at home. If you like White Russians, this Southern classic is an excellent foray into brandy.

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A cocktail glass with a frothy yellow drink, topped with a few drops of bitters, sits on a gold coaster. A gold jigger and a bottle are in the background.

Pisco Sour

Bright, frothy and deeply refreshing, the Pisco Sour is one of those cocktails that earns its devoted following one sip at a time. Shake fresh citrus juice and egg white until silky and light. Pisco — a grape-based brandy from South America — brings a floral, slightly earthy character that sets it apart from any other whiskey sour you've had. Peru claims it as its national drink, and after one glass, it's easy to see why.

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Sidecar Cocktail

Cognac, orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice come together in the Sidecar with a balance that feels almost effortless. It's tart yet smooth in equal measure, with a sugared rim that adds just a hint of sweetness and texture at the start of every sip. This simple, elegant cocktail belongs to that golden era of classic cocktails when the French were quietly influencing everything worth drinking.

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Homemade Eggnog

Rich with cream, brandy and warming spices, Homemade Eggnog with brandy is a must-try at the holidays. Cinnamon and nutmeg bring the festive warmth while brandy adds a depth that store-bought versions never quite manage. This homemade version makes a strong case for skipping the carton entirely. Make a big batch ahead of time — it only gets better as it sits.

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Two Brandy Alexanders with nutmeg on a tray.

Brandy Alexander Cocktail

The Brandy Alexander sits comfortably at the intersection of cocktail and dessert — cognac, crème de cacao and cream shaken into something indulgent, smooth and deeply satisfying. A dusting of fresh nutmeg on top adds warmth and a little drama. If you'd order a White Russian or an Espresso Martini after dinner, this is the classic version worth knowing.

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A glass of champagne sits next to a teal and gold bowl of sugar cubes and bitters.

Classic Champagne Cocktail

With a single sugar cube soaked in bitters dancing in a flute of cold sparkling wine, this Classic Champagne Cocktail is almost absurdly simple for how sophisticated it tastes. A splash of brandy adds warmth and depth that makes the whole thing feel even more elegant. The sugar dissolves slowly, sending up a steady stream of bubbles and adding just enough sweetness to soften the wine's sharp edges. If you've been looking for a reason to open a good bottle, this is it.

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A gold rimmed, stemless glass on a gold coaster contains a creamy cocktail, the sides drizzled with chocolate. Lady Finger pastries garnish the drink

Tiramisu Martini

Everything you love about the Italian dessert — espresso, mascarpone, a generous pour of something boozy — translated into a creamy, coffee-forward cocktail that works just as well as an after-dinner drink as it does a dessert replacement. Brandy and coffee liqueur form the base, with a richness that feels indulgent without being heavy. If an Espresso Martini sounds good but you want something a little more dessert-forward, this is the one.

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French Mule

The French Mule takes the classic Moscow Mule formula — ginger beer, lime, spirit over ice in a stately copper mug — and swaps vodka for brandy or cognac, adding a warmth and fruit-forward depth that makes it feel a little more refined. It's crisp, slightly spicy and surprisingly easy to drink for something with this much character. If you've made a Moscow Mule and wondered what else could go in that copper mug, brandy is worth a shot.

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Rosemary sprigs, cinnamon sticks and star anise lay on a white wooden background alongside two stemless wineglasses filled with ice and golden liquid garnished with apple slices and spices

Apple Cider Sangria

Apples and brandy are well-matched, as apples are often blended into brandy's fruit base. In this fall-season Apple Cider Sangria, fresh apple cider, seasonal fruit and brandy come together in this easy, make-ahead sangria that tastes like fall in a pitcher. Brandy adds warmth and depth while the white wine keeps it light enough to sip all afternoon. If you make it the night before, the flavors meld together into something even better than the day it was mixed.

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Your ultimate guide to brandy cocktails

How to choose a brandy

What to mix with brandy

The best brandy cocktails

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